Homily

On May 3rd of this year, President Joe Biden raised the number of immigrants that would be allowed to enter the country from 15,000 to 62,500. Within 24 hours the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement of praise for this action. Quote:

This came just one day after the Biden administration’s policy change. I do not bring this up to make a political statement about immigration rules and policies. So please clear that from your thoughts. There is another reason I bring this point up.

The current president has been in office for nearly five months. Without a doubt in my mind, he is the most pro-abortion president this country has ever elected. In office for five months, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has nothing to say to this man who considers himself a devout Catholic. Do we not owe the same value, protection, respect and inherent dignity to the unborn that USCCB proclaims on behalf of immigrants? Surely the immigration from the womb to the greater world at large is the greatest crossing of borders any human being ever experiences. Yet our government aids and abets the killing of these immigrants before they can cross the border. And the USCCB is silent on their behalf as far as Catholic politicians are concerned.

One of the most pressing problems is that politicians who call themselves Catholics and who publicly and repeatedly promote the evil of abortion, continue to receive Holy Communion when they go to Mass, despite what the law of the Church teaches. And they are allowed to continue to receive over and over again, as if their grave public sins in this regard are not really so bad after all. Besides, these are important people, are they not?

Five months and not a word from the body of Catholic bishops. There have been a few individual bishops who have spoken out. For example, Bishop Olmsted of Phoenix wrote: Good question.

But Archbishop Gregory of Washington, D.C. refuses to deny such politicians access to Holy Communion. He says we need to dialogue with these people. What kind of dialogue can he possibly imagine? Whether or not abortion is a great sin, or whether or not one who supports this kind of killing is doing good or evil? What is there to dialogue about? Would he also think it also necessary to dialogue with unrepentant rapists and pedophiles?

And then, recently, Cardinal Ladaria, head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sent a letter to the USCCB. Some of the U.S. bishops are asking for a national policy to deal with Catholic politicians who promote grave evil in the public arena.

Ladaria warns that “such a policy, given its possibly contentious nature, could have the opposite effect and become a source of discord rather than unity within the episcopate and the larger Church in the United States.” I read that as “unity is more important than speaking the truth.” He says that the U.S. bishops need to talk among themselves so they can all agree that the support of pro-choice legislation is not compatible with Catholic teaching. Can you imagine! They need to agree on this, as a conference. And note the choice of words: “not compatible with Catholic teaching.” What a gentle phrase.

Next, he says that the bishops are supposed to dialogue with pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia politicians so that the bishops can “understand the nature of their positions and their comprehension of Catholic teaching.” That is insane! Does he believe that the President of the United States is not capable of understanding that the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill,” is a part of Catholic faith? Almost 50 years since Roe v Wade and we still need to dialogue? About receiving Holy Communion, last week Nancy Pelosi said, “I think I can use my own judgment on that.” Good luck with the dialogue, dear bishops! Do you really think these politicians care what you say, if you ever find the courage to say anything?

What is this all about? Many things could be said but there’s not time here today for all of them. One problem, I think, is that so many people, including bishops and priests, and laypeople as well, worry more about what other people may think or say about them, than they do about the saving of human life and the saving of human souls. They are afraid to stand up to so-called “important” people, and afraid to stand up to the criticism of other “important” people for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. It is all about seeking the approval of certain people at the expense of other people whose unborn or elderly lives apparently are not considered to be as important.

And there is another person Whose approval is not seen as important; and that person is Jesus Christ.

Which leads to another point that was made by one of our parishioners a few weeks ago in a discussion: This lack of clear action in regard to public sinners receiving Communion shows what some people think about the Holy Eucharist. If we do not truly care who receives the Eucharist then the Eucharist cannot be that important. If those who publicly advance the causes of abortion and euthanasia as a part of their jobs are allowed to receive Holy Communion, how important can Holy Communion really be? Is it truly the Body and Blood of Christ, or merely a symbol that should not be denied to any politician lest we offend them?

In today’s reading we heard St. Paul tell the presbyters of Ephesus to, “Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the church of God that He acquired with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock.”

Certainly, those wolves came during the great struggle with the Arian heresy, when the true faith, that Jesus Christ is truly of one substance with the Father, was proclaimed by the first Nicean Council. So many bishops had embraced the Arian heresy that St. Jerome wrote, “The whole world groaned and was astonished to find itself Arian.” St. Paul said he did not shrink from telling the faithful the whole truth of Christ. Today, we sadly see some severe shrinkage from those who are called to be shepherds of their flocks. Is it any surprise then, that the majority of Catholics in this country support some forms of both abortion and euthanasia? When does all this dialoguing end and action to defend the faith begin?

My aim here today is not bishop-bashing or to stir up outrage against episcopal leadership. That does not help anything. But I think, dear friends, that you ought to hear some truth about this topic because I know you hold the true faith. And it is my job to try and teach and preach and support your faith despite the severely disappointing lack of action from many of our Church leaders, so many times in this country in recent decades.

The Church has continually struggled through difficult times during the past 2,000 years, and today is no different. And yet, Jesus Christ is Lord and His Church will prevail, despite the weak and faulty leadership of bishops and priests, including me, sinners are we all. To keep the Faith, to live the Faith, to share the Faith and give glory to Christ our God, this should be our goal and our life, as we trust He will never fail us despite the weakness of men and despite the sins of the world. Christ is among us! He is and always will be!