Springfield, Ill., Feb 22, 2018 / 14:42 pm
Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield in Illinois has reiterated that U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin should not receive Holy Communion due to the Catholic lawmaker's support for abortion, including a recent procedural vote against a bill that would bar abortion after 20 weeks into pregnancy.
"Sen. Durbin was once pro-life. I sincerely pray that he will repent and return to being pro-life," Bishop Paprocki said Thursday. "Because his voting record in support of abortion over many years constitutes 'obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin,' the determination continues that Sen. Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion until he repents of this sin. This provision is intended not to punish, but to bring about a change of heart."
Paprocki's statement cited the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities chairman Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who said it was "appalling" that the Senate failed to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act.
Durbin was one of the 14 self-identified Catholic senators who on Jan. 29 voted against cloture for the bill, which was needed to prevent a filibuster.