A Short and Non-Professional Explanation of Attempts to Exclude Biden from the Sacraments

I well know that many people - including my co-blogger, Fran Porretto, could do a better explanation. However, I'm going to give it a try, based on my own experiences as a child in a "mixed marriage" (which USED to mean a Catholic and a non-Catholic - the church had no position on racially mixed marriages - still doesn't).

This response was prodded by a post in Juliette Akinyi Ochieng's Facebook page.

I am a lifelong Catholic, but have had exposure to Protestant thinking, from my father's family - some Church of God, others Church of Christ (a regular event of my youth was summer picnics enlivened by the fervent efforts of my non-Catholic cousins, fresh from Bible Camp, eager to 'convert' me). As a result, I had to learn a lot about my own faith, in self-defense.

As a result, I've read both the Catholic Bibles, the KJV, and many books explaining the distinctions between the different views.

So, I think I can speak with some understanding of the issue:

• Protestants are under many misconceptions about what Catholic beliefs entail.
• For Catholics, attending Sunday services is not just a nice thing to do to get filled with the spirit. We believe that we participate in a Mass, that constitutes a direction communion with God. A visible manifestation is our reception of Communion, which is limited to those who believe in the basic tenets of the Church (among them, marriage is until death, and reserved for 1 man and 1 woman, and that abortion is a grave sin).
• Because of that above belief, we limit reception of Communion to those who are in FULL communion with the Church (which excludes Protestants, Episcopalians, Greek and Roman Orthodox, among others).
• It also excludes those who are divorced or married to someone who is (I have no idea how Jill Biden's 1st marriage was deemed "not a problem" - not my business).
• It does seem unfair that you could fornicate with many, while still remaining married, and take Communion. Same with other sins - if they are not public, but attempts to hide them are made, the Catholic may still take Communion.
• This is why the Mafia gets to continue taking Communion. If they deny the crimes - yes, including murder - OFFICIALLY, their sins are between them and God. If they admit them, but ask forgiveness in Penance (Confession), and are truly repentant (and make amends, as much as they can), they will be forgiven and permitted Communion.
• Heretics, however blameless their personal life, are excluded, as they deny core tenets.

Seems harsh, doesn't it?

Well, it is. It was meant to stop open defiance of the Church's temporal authority.

Priests may exercise their priestly authority to deny Communion;, and some have - for example, not permitting those living 'in sin' or in a gay marriage to participate. If the sin is publicly known, and the person continues in that sin, they could qualify for this. There are medical personnel that have been kept from Communion, based on their participation in abortion procedures.

Now, many Catholics don't believe those tenets, yet still take Communion. That's between them and God, as long as they don't make their opposition public and vocal.

ALL people, in reality, do sin; for that reason, the church has ways for them to confess their sins, repent, and - hopefully - sin no more, at least in that particular way.

Are there repeat sinners? Sure. AA has their 'backsliders', too. They accept you back after what they call a 'slip'. The thing is, organizations dedicated to helping you become a better person also help you get back on the right path, if and when you falter. It's part of their awareness of human frailty.

However, I think it likely that a person coming into an AA meeting, week after week, and loudly voicing his opinion that the whole experience is a complete fake, and passing out pamphlets for another 'program' that allows limited alcohol, and promoting it during the meeting, would be banned.

Just as those who promote ideas/practices radically against Catholic beliefs might be banned from receiving Communion. Like Biden. And Pelosi. To just name two.

The thing is, acceptance of abortion wasn't one of those "evolved beliefs" that just HAPPENED to develop as people became more sophisticated (unless you are using an old meaning of sophistication, which is synonymous with adulteration or corruption).

Getting Americans to accept abortion, under the guise of sexual liberation, was a lengthy and purposeful process, that used - among other means - women's magazines to push it through. That use of popular media was the model for today's Woke Media. It was remarkably effective in reaching their audience.