Letter to the Editor from Covington, GA

Published: August 19, 2004

To the Editor:

We were very troubled by the reactions of some Catholics in the secular media in regards to the archbishop’s decision to deny the sacrament of the Eucharist to politicians who are publicly endorsing and legislating into law what Vatican II calls the “unspeakable crime” of abortion. From the early church, we have Scripture, the Didache and the Early Church Fathers speaking in regards to the “serious sin” of abortion. It is obvious that a segment of our church family is either knowingly or unknowingly entrenched in ethical relativism.We can only draw the conclusion that we as a church are either in a “crisis of obedience” or a “crisis of catechesis.” The 1995 encyclical letter from our Holy Father, “The Gospel of Life,” brought a clarity in regards to the responsibilities of the baptized and especially to those in the medical field and political arena. There, the teaching states how these professionals and lawmakers are to approach the matter of abortion. From what we’ve recently read and heard, it appears some Catholics must’ve missed this teaching.

Most Catholics know not to present themselves to receive the Eucharist if they are in serious sin. It is cited by St. Paul and echoed throughout church documents. Just because we are physically sitting in the pew for Mass doesn’t give us the spiritual presumption in regards to worthiness of our soul for Communion. That can only be done by a proper examination in light of church teaching. How many of us were admonished as teenagers when we missed Sunday Mass? Most of us were instructed to remain seated as others received until the opportunity for a proper confession could be made. Are we missing something here in regards to abortion?

It seems that some Catholics have also missed the most basic church teaching that our bishops in union with the pope are the successors of the apostles, not the theologians, not politicians and certainly not the media. They and they alone safeguard and disseminate the truth of faith and morals that is found in Scripture and Tradition.

It is obvious from the archbishop’s recent letter that he clearly sees the “crisis of obedience” and “crisis of catechesis” and has used this opportunity to amplify, re-annunciate and articulate the church’s teaching in a concrete and practical manner.

Catholics who find themselves in the crisis of obedience or catechesis should view the archbishop’s letter as the stimulus to take the initiative to learn what the church teaches and why . . .

We are to be about the building of the Kingdom of Life—not building what our Holy Father calls “the Culture of Death.” Archbishop Donoghue is to be applauded for “amplifying” all that the church teaches, especially for our church family members who are slow to hear and struggle with church teaching. We are one family, and we all care about each and every brother and sister. Thanks be to God—our father and shepherd in the faith wants to see none of our church family members lost.

Maria Carmen Spink, Covington