By Judie Brown
When Joe Biden commented on his meeting with Pope Francis and said: “We just talked about the fact that he was happy I was a good Catholic and keep receiving Communion,” I nearly lost my lunch!
But then in a moment of grace, I recalled Christ’s words in Matthew:
“What goes into the mouth does not make anyone unclean; it is what comes out of the mouth that makes someone unclean.” Then the disciples came to [Jesus] and said, “Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked when they heard what you said?” He replied, “Any plant my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind; and if one blind person leads another, both will fall into a pit.”
In every sense, even before Biden’s ill-fated meeting with Pope Francis, it was clear that Biden is a blind leader. But what is shocking is that thus far the Vatican has said nothing to refute what Biden claimed. And that is very disconcerting. For as we know, Pope Francis has previously “urged priests to be pastoral rather than political when faced with the question of who can receive Communion.”
Without being at all disrespectful toward the pope, I have to ask what kind of a message it sends to the laity when a man chosen to lead the Catholic Church places the spiritual care of a known public sinner ahead of the souls of the faithful. Is it not true that the pope has an obligation to teach truth in word and in action?
We know that Biden is historically a liar, and he is belligerent. We know that he has “dug his heels in deeper in defiance of the bishops, the successors of the apostles whom Jesus ordained to perpetuate—and to protect—the Eucharist.” Given this fact, the possibility exists that the pope is remaining silent on the comments of the blind leader of the United States because he too is blinded by the misrepresentation of protecting the Eucharist as a sign of political judgment.
But as Cardinal Burke explains:
I must note that the pastoral action taken had nothing to do with interfering in politics. It was directed to the safeguarding of the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist, to the salvation of the souls of the Catholic politicians in question—who were sinning gravely not only against the Fifth Commandment but also were committing sacrilege by receiving unworthily Holy Communion—and to the prevention of the serious scandal caused by them. When I intervened pastorally with Catholic politicians, it was done in an appropriately confidential manner. Certainly, I gave no publicity to the matter. It was rather the politicians who found it helpful to present themselves as practicing Catholics, in the hope of attracting the votes of Catholics, who publicized the matter for a political end. . . .
I invite you to pray with me for the Church in the United States of America and in every nation, that, faithful to the mission of Christ, her Bridegroom, she will be faithful, limpid and uncompromising in the application of can. 915, defending the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist, safeguarding the souls of Catholic politicians who would grievously violate the moral law and still present themselves to receive Holy Communion, thereby committing sacrilege, and preventing the most serious scandal caused by the failure to observe the norm of can. 915.
Cardinal Burke is pointing out precisely why Biden is bringing scandal as he commits sacrilege. How much clearer could it possibly be?
St. Maximilian Kolbe once said: “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”
Indeed! So if it is true that “Pope Francis is no more willing than the Washington press to be placed outside the warm limelight of the dominant culture,” then the Church has a tragic challenge that must be confronted in prayer and confidence in the will of God.
The teaching and traditions of the Bride of Christ—the Roman Catholic Church—are not political; they are spiritual and in every sense holy in the eyes of God. It is tragic that blind leaders of the Church and our nation are not defending this truth.
Satan has created this blindness among men, and only Christ can overcome it. We pray for the Church in our nation and around the world, asking Christ to do His will as we entrust His Church to Him.
Lord, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.”