Only real sin is being a liberal, now: Giuliani takes communion from Pope

Via Deacon's Bench, http://deacbench.blogspot.com/...

Moments ago, Edward Cardinal Egan issued a statement saying he deeply regrets former mayor Rudy Giuliani received communion during Pope Benedict XVI mass at Saint Patrick's.

This came out of the blue today. Yes, there was some controversy when this first happened, but for Cardinal Edward Egan to come out and say he "deeply regrets" it, that's a strong statement.

It all has to do with Giuliani's stance on abortion.

Well, turns out, Giuliani SHOULD have been refused communion, but not out of politics.

Pope Benedict has backed doctrine that prohibits Catholics from receiving Holy Communion if they have divorced and remarried without a church annulment.

After his two divorces, Guilani married his current wife in a civil ceremony in 2003.

http://www.nydailynews.com/...

Ah, but the church expects our conservative politicians to be on their third wives, and by golly, we can't hold their private lives against them or there wouldn't BE any conservative politicians.

No, the church only holds one's political positions against people, and then only on abortion.  Giuliani's never had, never procured, never performed, an abortion.   Cardinal Egan doesn't care.  He's out of the church because of his divorce and remarriage.  Egan doesn't care about that either.

•  Can't believe how religion used against liberals

  The Jeremiah Wright thing on the air while Giuliani takes communion the first time since, when?

  by Inland on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 01:46:28 PM PDT

•  Reason 84 Catholics are Bigots...

  by Dr DungButter on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 01:47:12 PM PDT

•  Ah, selective morality

  I don't care if you want to have moral laws, assuming that you:

  1. Don't try to project them onto me, and

  2. Enforce them equally.

  by droogie6655321 on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 01:47:13 PM PDT

•  He obviously did listen to the Pope when

  he was here.

  by Shhs on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 01:48:22 PM PDT

•  Saw him getting the communion and wondered

  I was laughing when I saw him in line at St. Pat's with Judy Nathan, since he technically shouldn't have been allowed to receive communion, thank to his multiple un-annuled divorces.

  That's pretty clear cut, theologically speaking, so I have no beef with any church leader calling him out for it. It's much less so for pols who support abortion rights, since they are not actually committing that 'sin'. Jobbing Kerry on that was an egregious political act, but fortunately, it wasn't a church-wide thing. Just a few high level douchebags who let their stupidity get the better of them. And the ten people (or less) who changed their minds on voting for Kerry because of it were probably douchebags as well.

  by bflaff on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 02:05:57 PM PDT

  •  I agree entirely.

    The equation of refusing to put people in jail for abortions with actually having an abortion is ridiculous.  But there Rudy is, with his sin in public view, taking his unsanctioned marriage after a divorce right up to the Holy Father and getting his picure taken.  I suspect Rudy hasn't bothered to take communion for quite a while.

    by Inland on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 03:17:51 PM PDT

•  I quit the church so I could remain pro-choice.

  I'm technically a "pro-choice politician" since I'm a member of the Board of Education in our town; I don't go to church any more so as not to further sully their purity post-sex abuse scandal. But in defense of Rudy and Judy, maybe they crossed their arms on their chest when they got to the Communion rail, that's what a lot of non-Cath's do so they can still walk the line.

  by threesmommy on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 02:13:17 PM PDT

  •  well, it seem Judy didn't take communion

    but she went up with Rudy and he did.

    http://www.nydailynews.com/...

    So it sorta seems like they were rubbing the pope's face in it.  But the only thing Egan called them on was their politics.

    by Inland on Mon Apr 28, 2008 at 03:15:49 PM PDT