Washington D.C., Jul 12, 2004 / 22:00 pm
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced yesterday that Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick has received a letter from Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, saying the recent U.S. Bishops' statement on “Catholics in Political Life” is “very much in harmony” with the general principles previously sent by the Congregation.
Cardinal Ratzinger's letter says:
“With your letter of June 21, 2004, transmitted via fax, you kindly sent a copy of the Statement ‘Catholics in Political Life,’ approved by the members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops at their June meeting.”
“The Congregation is grateful for this courtesy. The statement is very much in harmony with the general principles ‘Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion,’ sent as a fraternal service to clarify the doctrine of the Church on this specific issue in order to assist the American Bishops in their related discussion and determinations.