Catholic Church Hits Pro-Abortion Senator With Humiliating Ban
Hypocrisy, thy name is Durbin.
In so many words, that’s the message the Roman Catholic Church is sending to leftist Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. After the liberal lawmaker voted against a bill to ban late-term abortions as far as five months into a pregnancy, a bishop has reaffirmed that Durbin is not welcome to participate in holy communion.
Durbin is ostensibly a Catholic, but for years has gone against one of the most vital issues of his claimed religion: Protecting the life of unborn children.
“Springfield Bishop Thomas John Paprocki made the announcement last week that Durbin was not permitted to receive communion inside the diocese, which is where Durbin lives, until he repents his sin,” explained The Washington Free Beacon, citing the Catholic news site Aleteia.
“Because his voting record in support of abortion over many years constitutes ‘obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin,’ the determination continues that Sen. Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion until he repents of this sin,” Bishop Paprocki stated.
“This provision is intended not to punish, but to bring about a change of heart,” the church official said.
That communion ban is linked to Congress’s inaction on “The Pain-Capable Unborn Children’s Act,” a bill that would have protected the unborn at a time when evidence shows they can feel pain and viably survive a premature birth.
Durbin’s ban from communion isn’t the first time a liberal senator has been scolded by the church. Senator John Kerry, who also describes himself as a Catholic, received a similar ban in his archdiocese back in 2004.
Around that time, the church issued a detailed statement about its decision, which Bishop Paprocki again cited during his Durbin ruling.
“In our 2004 Statement on Catholics in Political Life, the USCCB said, ‘Failing to protect the lives of innocent and defenseless members of the human race is to sin against justice,'” said Paprocki.
“Those who formulate law therefore have an obligation in conscience to work toward correcting morally defective laws, lest they be guilty of cooperating in evil and in sinning against the common good,” he continued.
Abortion is certainly a controversial issue, and one that has been hotly debated for decades. It will likely continue to be a divisive topic for years to come.
Considering the high number of liberals who have no problem ending the life of an unborn child, it’s sadly unsurprising that Senator Durbin is in that camp. The strange part, however, is that he and other supposed Catholics don’t see the duplicity of following a religion that emphatically protects unborn life.
It’s actually very odd for someone to publicly take a stance that is 180 degrees opposite of their stated religion. Imagine a Christian who declares that Jesus was just a man or a Jew who rejects the Torah; a person is certainly entitled to those views, but it’s disingenuous for them to also claim that they are being faithful to their religion.
Durbin and others like him seem to evoke Christianity when it helps them gain votes in Catholic-heavy areas, but then abandon its teachings with suspicious ease when it comes to actually making laws.
Principles and beliefs are not limp flags that can whip every which way, changing direction with the wind. They’re supposed to be firm, steadfast, and open to change only after years of careful consideration and strong evidence.
In the case of abortion, the evidence is on the side of protecting life, especially in late-term cases when a child is on the edge of viability. Durbin’s hypocritical stance might earn him points among liberals, but he may have a tougher time explaining it to people of faith.
Press “Share on Facebook” if you think this senator is trying to have it both ways.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
