Lansing Diocese leaves Eucharist up to individuals: The Diocese of Lansing won't withhold Communion from Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, Bishop Carl Mengeling said last week.
Instead, the diocese will leave the decision on receiving the Eucharist to individual Catholics....
Mengeling said individual Catholics are obligated to determine if they are fit for Communion, not priests, bishops or cardinals. When asked about the sacrament of penance, in which penitents are absolved from their sins by a priest, Mengeling said that individual Catholics are obligated to determine if they need to visit the confessional. "Or do anything, really," he said. "I mean, it's not like there's anyone around here to tell them what the rules are."
"All Catholics, that includes myself, must examine themselves extremely carefully before they approach the Eucharist," Mengeling said. "Our Catholics are adults. We can't treat them like children."...
Mengeling said denying Communion to Granholm and other politicians who support abortion rights would force the church to judge every Catholic, a task he said is up to God. "Oh, and if your confessor says it's a sin, but you don't want to stop, you are 'obligated to determine if you are fit to do your thang,'" the bishop continued. "See, I can throw that in anywhere!" he said.
"We assume that (people) are in good standing with the law in terms of their own conscience," Mengeling said. "The Lord knows that. I don't." "Because when I think about abortion," the bishop continued, "and imagine the bloody masses of human flesh being sucked into a vaccuum, or thrown into a bowl before all the parts are counted to make sure an arm, leg or hand wasn't left in the womb, I recall Christ's teaching: 'Do as thou wilt.'" "What are you looking at?"
Liz Boyd, Granholm's spokeswoman, said the governor, who regularly attends St. John's, has taken an oath to uphold the laws of the state and that she represents all citizens - not just Catholics.
"Gov. Granholm is a person of faith, and her faith is very important to her," Boyd said. "Should the church decide to impose spiritual penalties for political votes of which they disapprove, it may be difficult for any Catholic to serve in public office." Boyd continued by noting that she had heard rumors that God himself planned to impose such penalties. "Gov. Granholm has taken an oath to uphold the laws of the state, not the laws of God," she said. "If God chooses to impose penalties on political votes of which He disapproves, it may be difficult for Gov. Granholm to achieve Nirvana, or whatever," Boyd added.
Rep. Julie Dennis, D-Muskegon, said Catholic politicians represent citizens from diverse religious beliefs and backgrounds and they are being unfairly targeted.
"I will not legislate Catholic doctrine because the Vatican thinks I ought to," said Dennis, a Catholic who also supports abortion rights.
"I'm looking forward to hellfire," Dennis added. "It's freezing up here in Lansing," she said.