Archbishop Burke: Pro-Abortion Politicians Should Not Receive Communion

And neither should anyone else in mortal sin. From CNA:

To illustrate his point, he referred to “public officials who, with knowledge and consent, uphold actions that are against the Divine and Eternal moral law. For example, if they support abortion, which entails the taking of innocent and defenseless human lives. A person who commits sin in this way should be publicly admonished in such a way as to not receive Communion until he or she has reformed his life,” the archbishop said.

What is the most significant part of what His Excellency said? Read on.

“If a person who has been admonished persists in public mortal sin and attempts to receive Communion, the minister of the Eucharist has the obligation to deny it to him. Why? Above all, for the salvation of that person, preventing him from committing a sacrilege,” he added.

The obligation. I'm pretty sure that this is the most forceful language we've seen on this topic. The priest pretty much has to tell the parishioner to repent before daring to approach the Lord of the Universe in Holy Communion. What a novel idea.

This isn't just for the sake of that person's soul either. The scandal caused by such disregard for the Eucharist can lead other souls into sin as well.

“If we have a public figure who is openly and deliberately upholding abortion rights and receiving the Eucharist, what will the average person think? He or she could come to believe that it up to a certain point it is okay to do away with an innocent life in the mother’s womb,” he warned.

Get this man a red hat.