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Vatican Tribunal Consultant Says Gov. Cuomo Should Be Denied Communion

By Howard M. Friedman

CNS News Monday reported comments by Dr. Edward Peters, a consultant to the Apostolic Signatura, the Catholic Church's highest judicial tribunal, criticizing Albany, New York Bishop Howard Hubbard for giving communion at Mass to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Today's New York Times also reports on the comments by Peters, who is a professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. Focusing on the fact that Cuomo lives with girl friend Sandra Lee (a Food Network hostess), Peters said:

The governor, with complete freedom, is publicly acting in violation of a fundamental moral expectation of the Church. On these facts alone, his taking holy Communion is objectively sacrilegious and produces grave scandal within the faith community. As long as he persists in such conduct, he should refrain from taking holy Communion in accord with Canon 916. If he approaches for holy Communion, he should be denied the august sacrament in accord with Canon 915.

In January, Cuomo attended Mass at Albany's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception with his three daughters from his first marriage and with Sandra Lee. Lt. Gov. Robert Duffy and his wife also attended. Bishop Hubbard delivered a homily in which he assured Cuomo and Duffy of his prayers and support in the challenges they face. Peters described the homily as "a failure in pastoral care" for not challenging the governor to reform his person.  Peters also indicated that Cuomo's public position supporting abortion also appears to justify withholding communion from him.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on February 23, 2011 (boomark / email).