ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on June 27, 2004

Dear Patrick: There is absolutely NO hypocrisy at all in denying the Eucharist to openly pro-abortion Catholic politicians while at the same time allowing others who are in a state of sin to receive the Eucharist. Church law states, and moral law demands, that a Priest CANNOT refuse communion to any Catholic even if he knows that the person is in mortal sin, UNLESS that person is a notorious PUBLIC sinner. The reason for this is that if the Priest was to refuse a person the Eucharist because he privately knows the person is in mortal sin, he would be revealing to the whole congregation that the person is in mortal sin. The Priest has no right to reveal the sins to others like this. This is why only notorious PUBLIC sinners can be openly refused the Eucharist because their sinful life is already known by all and could be a scandal if such a public sinner was allowed to partake of our Lord. The priest should, however, take this private mortal sinner aside after Mass and chew him out and instruct him to stop receiving the Eucharist until he makes a good confession. But, Church law does not allow the Priest to deny a private mortal sinner to receive the Eucharist even if the sinner shows up again for the Eucharist after the chewing out. This concept of not revealing others' sin applies to all of us. No one has the right to reveal the sins of another to those who have no need to know the information. This is called "detraction". The priest would be committing a mortal sin of detraction to reveal to the congregation that a person is in sin. The Catechism defines "detraction": 2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty: - of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor; - of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them; - of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them. 2479 Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and charity. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary