On April 22, 2008, Human Events.com interviewed George Marlin on the Catholic voter and the Pennsylvania Democratic Primary.

This article I wrote appeared in the New York Post on Friday, April 18, 2008.

When the thrice married Rudy Giuliani was asked after Pope Benedict’s St. Patrick’s Catholic Mass if, “he was uncomfortable with having broken the Church ban on the divorced and remarried receiving Communion,” Rudy Giuliani answered, “No.”

What arrogance!  In the presence of the Pope, Giuliani declares he is above the rules of the Roman Catholic Church.

Rudy Giuliani knows better – he was well trained in the basics of the Catholic faith at Bishop Loughlin High School and Manhattan College.  He knows that he is prohibited from receiving Communion because of his marital status.

There’s more:  Giuliani also knows his pro-abortion, pro-partial birth abortion, pro-funding of abortion stands separates him from the Roman Catholic Church.

Four years ago, Pope Benedict made the Church’s position crystal clear in the document he authored “Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion – General Principles.”  In that statement, then Cardinal Ratzinger succinctly described the obligations of lay Catholics and the “ministers of Holy Communion.”  Ratzinger described numerous situations when a priest would have no alternative but to deny communion, and he directed priests to meet privately with any Catholic who publicly supports abortion and euthanasia laws, and to offer instruction in Church teaching.  The pastor’s job is to inform the public servant “that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.”  Ratzinger also explained that a priest who denies communion is not judging the condition of the individual’s soul and “is reacting to the person’s public unworthiness to receive Holy Communion due to an objective situation of sin.”

The final question:  Why was Giuliani even invited to St. Patrick’s?  After all, the Pope’s Mass was specifically celebrated for the Catholic clergy and religious of the region – not politicians.

The answer:  Got me.

This article appeared on Human Events.com. 

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on Easter:

The law He gave was clear:  life is a struggle; unless there is a Cross in our lives, there will never be an empty tomb; unless there is the crown of thorns, there will never be the halo of light; unless there is a Good Friday, there will never be an Easter Sunday.

George J. Marlin is the Editor of The Quotable Fulton Sheen (Doubleday).