Bishop Bars Illinois Legislators Working to Pass New Abortion Law From Receiving Communion Until They "Truly Repent" of "Abominable Crime"

Dorothy Cummings McLean : Jun 7, 2019
LifeSiteNews.com

"Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan, who facilitated the passage of the Act Concerning Abortion of 2017 ... are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois because they have obstinately persisted in promoting the abominable crime and very grave sin of abortion." – Bishop Thomas John Paprocki

(Springfield, IL) — [Lifesitenews.com] The bishop of Springfield in Illinois has barred pro-abortion legislators from receiving the sacrament of Holy Communion. (Image source: YouTube /via LifeSiteNews)

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki has ruled that state legislators who are working to pass Illinois' new abortion bill may not present themselves for communion in his diocese and that priests are expressly forbidden from giving the Eucharist to both the Senate president and the speaker of the House.

"In accord with canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law ... Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan, who facilitated the passage of the Act Concerning Abortion of 2017 (House Bill 40) as well as the Reproductive Health Act of 2019 (Senate Bill 25), are not to be admitted to Holy Communion in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois because they have obstinately persisted in promoting the abominable crime and very grave sin of abortion as evidenced by the influence they exerted in their leadership roles and their repeated votes and obdurate public support for abortion rights over an extended period of time," Paprocki wrote in a statement dated June 2, 2019.

"These persons may be readmitted to Holy Communion only after they have truly repented these grave sins and furthermore have made suitable reparation for damages and scandal, or at least have seriously promised to do so, as determined in my judgment or in the judgment of their diocesan bishop in consultation with me or my successor," he continued.

Although they are not named, Paprocki included other pro-abortion state politicians in his interdict, saying, "I declare that Catholic legislators of the Illinois General Assembly who have cooperated in evil and committed grave sin by voting for any legislation that promotes abortion are not to present themselves to receive Holy Communion without first being reconciled to Christ and the Church in accord with canon 916 of the Code of Canon Law"... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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