Cardinal Ratzinger says he, U.S. bishops 'in harmony' on politics

Published: 2004-07-12

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Following a rash of news reports claiming the U.S. bishops defied Vatican Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger on the question of withholding Communion from Catholic politicians whose actions conflict with church teaching on abortion, Cardinal Ratzinger said the bishops' statement on the issue "is very much in harmony" with his recently leaked memo on the topic. In a letter dated July 9 and made public July 12 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said the bishops' June 18 statement, titled "Catholics in Political Life," "is very much in harmony with the general principles (of) 'Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion.'" The Italian magazine L'Espresso obtained a copy of Cardinal Ratzinger's memo on general principles and published it online July 3. L'Espresso and numerous other news reports characterized the U.S. bishops' statement -- which said a prudential judgment and decision whether to withhold Communion in particular cases rests "with the individual bishop" and "bishops can legitimately make different judgments" in individual cases -- as conflicting with the principles outlined in the memo.

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