Archbishop Vlazny speaks up

Catholics who publicly disagree with serious church teaching on such matters as abortion or same-sex marriage should refrain from receiving Holy Communion,” he wrote in his May 6 column. The phrase “publicly disagree” means just that he said, not speaking privately to family or friends.

“Catholics who are not in communion with the Church (for example, divorced and remarried Catholics who have not received annulments from previous Catholic marriages) must similarly refrain from receiving the Eucharist,” he wrote. “All Catholics in the state of mortal sin who are unrepentant also should refrain from the reception of the Eucharist.”

A mortal sin, according to Catholic teaching, is a grievous matter undertaken after sufficient reflection and with full consent. The catechism of the Catholic Church lists anger, blasphemy, envy, hatred, malice and murder as grave sins.

The archbishop would not say whether the use of artificial birth control, rejected by church teaching, might be a mortal sin.

“Issues about sin are always difficult,” he says. “But with birth control, you’re not taking the life of an innocent human being.”

Vlazny says as a pastor, he finds it difficult to judge publicly whether any person is “unfit” or “unworthy” to receive Communion. “But I know I can make that judgment about myself and I believe every person can do the same,” he wrote.