Elliot Bundy, campaign spokesman for Giuliani, said the mayor believed "the leaders of the Church are entitled to their own opinions.,”Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke of St. Louis made political headlines after openly stating that he would not administer holy Communion to Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani.
Elliot Bundy, campaign spokesman for Giuliani, said the mayor believed "the leaders of the Church are entitled to their own opinions."
Bundy said Giuliani has not faced similar issues in other parts of the country and he was never officially denied Communion.
Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy Dolan, was asked if he agreed with Burke's decision when he spoke last week at Sensenbrenner Hall.
"If someone is at odds with one the core beliefs of our faith, they should not receive communion," Dolan said, calling the resolution "a good one."
Archibishop Dolan is not as conservative as Burke, said the Rev. Larry Jonas, associate pastor at Gesu Parish, 1210 W. Michigan St.
"The fact is that scripture tells us that abortion is wrong. However, the more conservative bishops, like Burke, are stricter (on who receives Communion). Others would say 'maybe we could win (the politicians) over' and forget about it," Jonas said. "I would give him Communion."
Both Jonas and Kathleen Hohl, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, said political figures are under a closer watch by Church officials because of their national influence.
"Politicians are voting on key religious policies and speaking on behalf of actions affecting the Catholic Church," Hohl said, explaining why they are more closely monitored.
Burke made national headlines with the same claims in the 2004 presidential election saying he would deny the Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) Holy Communion at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis because his beliefs opposed those of the church.
Samantha Delfin, a freshman theology major in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she fully agreed with Burke's decision.
"Rudy Giuliani is committing a mortal sin by supporting abortion," Delfin said.
Delfin cited a line in the Catholic Act of Contrition that says, "What I have done and what I have failed to do" as proof of Giuliani's sin.
"If the Archbishop gave Giuliani Eucharist, he would be performing a sin himself. Jesus Christ cannot exist where there is sin," she said.
Hohl said this issue of denying holy Communion has never come up in the five years that Dolan has been Archbishop of Milwaukee.
The act of denying Communion is reserved for bishops. The only case in which a priest would not administer Communion would be under the instruction of his bishop, Jonas said.
"The only cases would be if it was a public figure like Giuliani. In that case, the Archbishop would be taking a stand for the truth (that abortion is wrong in the church)," he said.
Hohl said dioceses and their parishes expect that people who present themselves for Communion are worthy of the sacrament. Additionally, she said all discrepancies are between the parishioner and the pastor.
Dan Kraynak contributed to this report.
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