Cardinal Burke: Biden should not receive Holy Communion

FPI / October 1, 2020

Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden "is not a Catholic in good standing, and he should not approach to receive Holy Communion," said a member of the highest judicial authority in the Roman Catholic Church.

Biden should not receive Communion due to his long-stated position in support of abortion, Cardinal Raymond Burke said to the Catholic Action for Faith and Family in its “Catholic Voting Guidance”.

“I don’t intend to get involved in the recommending any candidate for office, but simply to state that a Catholic may not support abortion in any shape or form, because it is one of the most grievous sins against human life, and has always been considered to be intrinsically evil,” Burke said. “And therefore, to support the act is a mortal sin.”

Burke served as the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura at the Vatican in Rome for six years until 2014, where he is now a rank-and-file member of the Catholic tribunal.

Biden often claims that his faith shapes his politics.

Burke said that politicians can’t claim to be good Catholics and support abortion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, also has openly declared support for abortion and claims to be Catholic.

“I don’t know why Catholics who are involved in politics can’t get this straight in their heads,” Burke said.

Catholics are expected to be “in a state of grace” to receive Holy Communion, considered to be the body and blood of Christ.

Biden was denied Holy Communion at Mass last October by Rev. Robert E. Morey of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, South Carolina.



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