Dear Bishop Vasquez:
As a member of your flock, I am looking to you for guidance in the wake of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ vote to deny Holy Communion to politicians who don’t support the Church’s position on abortion. On its surface, the USCCB’s action seems contrary to Church teaching in a number of areas, seems more likely to divide than to unite at a time with division is the largest threat the Church faces in this country and seems an explicit endorsement of one political party.
My question first is this: Will this direction apply only to politicians or will it apply to the Catholics who voted for them? I myself was a vocal supporter of President Biden during the general election. As the USCCB has instructed, I based my vote on a wide range of issues, but central it was President Biden’s stance on pro-life issues as defined by the Church. The death penalty, health care, immigration, housing, the treatment of workers, etc. On pro-life issues, I found President Biden far more compatible with my beliefs as well as the beliefs of the Church. And like President Biden, I oppose efforts to jail women who have abortions. The lack of support and the shaming single mothers face in this country — as well as the lack of support their children have — makes criminalization of abortion seem like rank hypocrisy to me. Will I be turned away from taking part in the sacrament at St. Mary’s from now on? If not, why do we have different rules for different people. Politicians aren’t the only ones who lead and set examples. I have taught confirmation classes at your cathedral for the past three years. I too am in a position to influence people, though on a much smaller scale. And while I’ve never disclosed my political position on abortion to my catechumens, I have been fairly open about my political leanings on all other pro-life issues.
This leads me to my second question. Will the political litmus test the USCCB is pushing be extended to other sins? Our governor here in Texas is a devout Catholic and occasionally attends Mass in your cathedral. Will he be denied communion because of his strong support of the death penalty? President Biden has never been in the position of being able to stop an abortion and failed to do so. Gov. Abbott, on the other hand, has declined to stop executions. Newt Gingrich is a serial adulterer, opponent of healthcare as a right and supporter of executions. Will he too be refused the eucharist? Will I be refused the Eucharist because of my vasectomy? Will Catholic politicians in Texas who voted to allow anyone to carry a gun while refusing to expand Medicaid be refused the Eucharist?
Third, can you clear up the confusion about the Church’s hierarchy this has created. Pope Francis has clearly said that communion is “bread for sinners” rather than a reward for the perfect. Cardinal Luis Laderia, the head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith specifically told the USCCB not to move forward on this issue. It is impossible for any Catholic to be unaware of the words of the Holy Father these days. Is it the position of the USCCB that the edicts of the Bishop of Tyler supercede the edicts of the Bishop of Rome? I think it’s imperative for the Church to clear up this confusion. On this and numerous other issues, the USCCB has created opportunities for us to practice cafeteria Catholicism. As someone who gleefully had a vasectomy, I’m not averse to picking what I like, but at least I know that I’m acting against what the Church dictates on this. I worry that allowing people to rationalize their own cafeteria Catholicism while condemning others based on what vegetables they leave off their plate will hurt Church unity.
Fourth, will this lead to schism? The USCCB has been opposed to Pope Francis from the start, the inevitable result of a political conservatism that has lasted my entire lifetime. With a vote that was overwhelmingly for the politically conservative approach, but by no means unanimous, how much will USCCB’s choice to divide along political lines affect the overall unity of the Church in the United States? And how will a schism between the American church and the rest of Catholicism affect those of us who reject the politicization of our Church? Will there be a place for me to worship after the schism when Pope Dolan is giving orders from Manhattan?
Finally, and this is a much larger question, is the USCCB rejecting Vatican II? There are a number of things to say on this, but I’ll try to be concise. Vatican II holds that the ultimate arbiter of sin is the informed individual conscience. Dictating political positions as a qualification to receive the Eucharist is an explicit rejection of this fundamental tenant. I understand that many of your brother bishops have stood in strong opposition to the Pope, even those who condemned dissent from previous Popes’ teachings as a grave sin. But the USCCB is rejecting the teachings of a church council. I’m not aware of any scholarship or theology that questions the authority of a council. What are the implications for the teachings of other councils if the USCCB chooses to reject the teachings of the most recent council?
Thank you for your time and thank you in advance for your response. My informed individual conscience will simply not allow me to belong to any group that conditions salvation on my political position. The decision to deny the Eucharist the USCCB has taken can’t be seen in any other light. President Biden has never had an abortion, nor has he procured one. That means he’s in line with a strict reading of the catechism. The catechism doesn’t tell us we must support jailing or fining women or their doctors to prevent abortion. The most vocal bishops on this issue have spoken in support of politicians who work to implement laws that directly contradict Church teaching. As someone who has spoken eloquently and movingly on immigration, you know this first hand. I hope the Church that taught me to love everyone, to welcome everyone and to support everyone (and that continues to help me do so despite my own massive failings) will not push me out. I will miss that support far more than St. Mary’s will miss the $159 I contribute every month or my feeble efforts to witness to the next generation.
Sincerely Yours:
Michael Wright
Oran Today 