By Thomas Griffin, Crisis Magazine, June 23, 2021
Thomas Griffin teaches apologetics in the religion department at a Catholic high school on Long Island. Read more at www.EmptyTombProject.org.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) recently made headlines in his attempt to redefine the Catholic understanding of the Eucharist. The senator claimed that some U.S. bishops are attempting to change what it means to receive Communion. The debate revolves around the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) plan to be more specific in outlining the ability for politicians who publicly invoke and support laws that contradict Church teaching to receive Communion.
The discussion has escalated rapidly with the election of Joe Biden as president. There have been heated discussions on whether or not the Church can deny someone Holy Communion for years now. Senator Kaine, however, is among the first to clearly state that the Church’s teaching on the Eucharist is incorrect. He notes that the “decision by U.S. bishops to elevate issues of human sexuality, however important, above all others seems contrary to the Gospel.” …
