Blasé

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Dr. Edward Peters, canon lawyer, weighs in on the Illinois divide. Below, quoted in part, Dr. Peters' assessment.

For a full read of his assessment, visit Dr. Peters' site by clicking on the following link: In The Light of the Law.

June 14, 2019

No one thought that Chicago’s Blase Cdl. Cupich would follow Springfield’s Bp. Thomas Paprocki’s example in calling upon Catholic state legislators [...] to refrain from Holy Communion until they repented of their evil deed (Canon 916), further directing that his ministers withhold holy Communion from two specific legislators based on their protracted and public support of such measures (Canon 915), so no one was surprised when Cupich didn’t. [...]

1. Cupich claims that “it would be counterproductive to impose sanctions”. This misrepresents a crucial point: withholding Holy Communion under Canon 915 is not the application of canonical sanction but rather the observance of a sacramental disciplinary norm. Casting the operation of Canon 915 as a sanction (implying thereby proof of canonical crimes upon the observance of special penal procedures) is a straw-man frequently posed by prelates skirting the plain provisions of Eucharistic discipline.

2. Cupich claims that “sanctions [sic] … don’t change anybody’s minds”. This misrepresents the two-fold purpose of withholding holy Communion, namely to prevent the scandal to the faith community that arises from the administration of Holy Communion to Catholics who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin (say, by their formally depriving innocent human beings of any protection under civil law) and to prevent sacrilege from being committed against the august Sacrament. ‘Changing people’s minds’ has nothing to do with either goal.


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Dear bishops, priests and deacons, especially those who habitually equivocate, obfuscate and/or prevaricate,... .
  1. we need to be taught how to be good Catholics: we need to be told how to be good Catholics; we need to be shown how to be good Catholics.
  2. we do not need weak teaching and weak examples. For the sake of the health of our eternal souls we require the truth spoken and enacted in charity if we are to survive the competition between God on the one hand, and on the other the world, the flesh and the devil.
  3. that people curse at filial correction is their choice. Unwilling to abide by the Church's teaching, i.e., the teaching of Jesus Christ, those who refuse to obey God's Law should not expect to be given Holy Communion until they amend their ways: He who hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me, and he who rejects me rejects him who sent me (St. Luke 10:16). Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you (St. Matthew 7:6).
  4. if you love us you will keep God's commandments and help us to do the same, for if we love Jesus we will keep His commandments.
Proverbs 12

(15) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
(16) The vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent man ignores an insult.
(17) He who speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.

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