Conflict over whether people who in any way support legalized abortion should be allowed to receive communion in Catholic churches continues. In South Carolina, a man with a "John Kerry for President" button was denied communion by a eucharistic minister.

The National Catholic Reporter explains:

Charleston Bishop Robert J. Baker had declared that Catholics in public life, especially elected ones, who didn’t support church teaching on the sanctity of human life “are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.” That came Aug. 4 in a joint letter from Baker, Archbishop John F. Donoghue of Atlanta, Ga., and Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte, N.C.

But in a pastoral addendum Baker published in his own see, he clarified his position: “No one else may make a decision regarding whether or not a person should be admitted to holy Communion. That determination is reserved to me personally.” Garvey said that the parish pastor quickly squelched the self-appointed enforcer. When he discovered the incident he called in all eucharistic ministers and told them this action was beyond their purview.

Not only did the eucharistic minister go beyond what was permitted, he also reached the conclusion that anyone who supports John Kerry for president also doesn't "support church teaching on the sanctity of life." This points to a serious problem within the Catholic church in America if people in positions of responsibility and authority are making such illogical and ill-founded connections.

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