The Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) has âunambiguously condemnedâ the refusal of communion âto a public representative in the diocese of Cloyneâ and described as âa particularly aggravating factorâ that it happened âin the context of a funeral Massâ.
The ACP statement followed a refusal by Fr Gabriel Burke, a priest in Bantry parish Co Cork, to give communion to Minister of State Colm Burke at the funeral Mass of a constituent because of his support for repeal of the Eighth Amendment.
Fr Burke said that âas a senator, Colm Burke voted for abortion after the 2018 referendum and he knows the teaching of the [Catholic] Church that any politician who voted [for] abortion cannot receive communionâ.
Mr Burke explained how he had recently attended the funeral Mass âof a person who I knew for over 35 years and who was a long-standing member of Fine Gael and party supporterâ and that Fr Burke ârefused to give to me Holy Communionâ.
The priest further advised him that âyou have been excommunicatedâ, Mr Burke said. He is seeking clarification on the matter from Bishop of Cloyne William Crean.
In their statement the ACP noted how, previous to the Eighth Amendment being repealed, âIrish women were travelling abroad to avail of abortion services, while legislators and citizens looked the other wayâ.
It continued that âprocurement of an abortion is complex, morally and medically. Legislators have to balance two sets of rights, the right of the unborn child to life and the free decision-making right of the mother. Public representatives are tasked with finding a balance between both.â
It said that âlike every member of the Catholic Church, public representatives must act in accordance with their conscience. It is not the role of the priest to judge the conscience of another person. The priest does not own the Eucharist and would do well to ponder the statement of Pope Francis that he has never refused the Eucharist to anyone.â
