Sacramental Politics
Can churches deny the sacrament of the eucharist to politicians who support abortion? Not if I’ve got my catechism straight. The way I understand it, it is a sin to take communion while in a state of sin, but unless it’s now a sin to vote in compliance with the principles of Roe v. Wade, there’s no issue there. Insofar as this may be considered sinful, or insofar as any politician acts to enable or provide or participate in the decision of another to have an abortion, which I suppose might be considered sinful, then there’s still the sacrament of Reconciliation (formerly known as “Penance”) which would allow that person to expiate his or her sin and to receive absolution. Nevertheless, unless the priest handing out the wafers is the sinner’s confessor, he can’t know the state of the communicant’s soul, so it would be wrong to deny the sacrament. In the end, it’s up to the politician to ensure he or she is in a state of grace and therefore capable of participating in the Eucharistic sacrament, not the bishops or priests. Unless they enact a writ of excommunication. But I’m probably being too reasoned.