Fr. Gerald E. Murray: Does Enforcing Canon Law Harm the Flock?

Wait. A State Court Found Widespread Illegality in 2020 Election? And the Hunt for Conservatives Continues, by Al Perrotta
July 11, 2022
WATCH! ‘Anti-Democracy, Anti-America’: Gen. Michael Flynn Comments on George Soros, by David Nussman
July 11, 2022

*Image: Nancy and Paul Pelosi greeted by Pope Francis in the Vatican, June 29, 2022 [Vatican Media]

By Fr. Gerald E. Murray, The Catholic Thing, July 11, 2022

The Rev. Gerald E. Murray, J.C.D. is a canon lawyer and the pastor of Holy Family Church in New York City. His new book (with Diane Montagna), Calming the Storm: Navigating the Crises Facing the Catholic Church and Society, will be published on April 7, 2022.

Asked about the denial of Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians, Pope Francis commented in a recent interview: “When the Church loses its pastoral nature, when a bishop loses his pastoral nature, it causes a political problem. That’s all I can say.” The question was obviously prompted by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s announcement that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would no longer be admitted to Holy Communion in the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

The Speaker had rightly been found by Cordileone to be “obstinately persist[ing] in manifest grave sin” [canon 915] owing to her vigorous defense and promotion of the crime of abortion. And this despite multiple warnings that such activity contradicts the teaching of the Catholic Church on the inviolability of innocent unborn human life. …