Catholic Bishop Bans Lawmakers Who Voted for Abortions Up to Birth From Receiving Communion by MICAIAH BILGER for Life News
An Illinois Catholic bishop will not give communion to politicians who voted for a radical pro-abortion bill last week.
In a June 2 decree, Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki instructed priests and deacons in his Catholic diocese to refuse communion to the state lawmakers unless they first confess and repent of their sins, according to the Catholic News Agency.
“To support legislation that treats babies in the womb like property, allowing for their destruction for any reason at any time, is evil,” Paprocki said. “It’s my hope and prayer these lawmakers reconcile themselves to the Church so they can receive Communion.”
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Last week, state lawmakers rammed through a controversial abortion bill that would legalize abortions for basically any reason up to birth in Illinois. It would erase criminal penalties for performing abortions and allow non-doctors to do them. The legislation also would repeal the partial-birth abortion ban, abortion clinic regulations and conscience protections for medical workers.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has not signed the bill yet, but he supports abortions and many expect that he will. Pro-life groups have been urging voters to flood Pritzker’s office with calls and emails in opposition to the extreme measure.
Paprocki said lawmakers’ support of the pro-abortion bill is inexcusable.
“In view of their gravely immoral action to deprive unborn children legal protection against abortion, it must be said that any Catholic legislator who sponsored, promoted, advocated, or voted for these pro-abortion bills has acted in a seriously sinful manner unfaithful to the 2,000-year-old Christian teaching against abortion and therefore, would place themselves outside of the full communion of the Catholic Church,” the bishop said.
He said they have “obstinately persisted in promoting the abominable crime and very grave sin of abortion,” and they should not receive communion unless they confess and repent of their sins.
