Cast Ye the First Stone

It is nothing new, this time around, as Roman Catholic Archbishop Raymond Burke recently made a statement that he would deny communion to Republican Presidential hopeful, Rudy Giuliani. Good ol’ Burke just can’t seem to keep his nose out of the limelight, or at least, for the time being, politics which is now somewhat synonymous given the age of heightened media coverage. It was just last presidential season when the Archbishop made it public, reverberating that he would refuse to give Holy Communion to the Democratic Presidential hopeful, John Kerry (who later lost his presidential bid).

After reading this article, one is left to consider if Archbishop Burke is merely trying to uphold vague church doctrine, or if he has an ulterior motive of meandering with the upcoming elections by influencing the rather conservative Catholic voter base, which has taken the pro-life stance. While some U.S. bishops contend that it should be up to the individual to decide whether or not to receive communion, Archbishop Burke publicly and adamantly continues to believe otherwise. He even went further by publishing an article in a church law journal exploring the church’s right to deny communion. In his defense, the Archbishop stated that the denial of Communion is not a judgment because, “What the state of his soul is, is between God and him.”

Well, if Burke believes that the state of one’s soul is truly between God and himself, then why does he repeatedly wedge his personal views between such an intimate relationship? Why does he continually seek to draw public attention to the matter by freely speaking to the press about his decision to deny Holy Communion to various presidential hopefuls who hold beliefs contradictory to his? Burke’s argument stating that any ordained priest or lay minister is morally obligated to deny Holy Communion from politicians who support an abortion-rights position remains not only contradictory, but moreover, hypocritical of his core belief: that the state of one’s soul is between God and himself. Let it be up to the individual to discern whether or not he/she is worthy of receiving the body and blood of Christ.

It is one thing to see such drama happening exclusively in the political arena (especially during election time), but it pains me to see religious and church officials get so intimately involved in the election fray. Those like Archbishop Burke should not seek the limelight after using his discretion to deny Holy Communion to politicians, especially since the issue of the denial of Holy Communion still remains unclear in church doctrine, left to be later debated among bishops in the coming months.

In a world where morality is a constant battle, it is apparent that crimes of passion are not discriminatory and has repeatedly managed to invade the confines of the non-secular world. Given the international focus on the indiscretions of even those robed with the Holy Cloth, Burke’s true colors show forth in his quick passing of judgment onto others.

Perhaps Archbishop Raymond Burke should learn a lesson or two from those he criticizes most. Giuliani, in his response to the Archbishop’s statement stated that “Archbishops have a right to their opinion, you know…everybody has a right to their opinion.” However, he cautions others about against being so quick to judge, recalling a story in which Jesus said that only someone who was free of all sin should try to stone an adulterous woman. “Don’t judge others, lest you be judged,” Giuliani went on to say.