Bishops, Politics, and Excommunication

The discussion of the reception of communion by pro-choice Catholic politicians might be enhanced by a look back at another time when American Catholics faced excommunication for taking public stances contrary to the Church's explicit teaching. From the 1940s through the early 1960s, many Catholics in the South and in the Border States were threatened with excommunication for fighting the racial integration of Catholic schools and churches, or for actively supporting racial segregation. In the early 1960s, the archbishop of New Orleans excommunicated a number of Louisiana Catholics who were avowed segregationists. Among them was one of the state's most powerful politicians, Leander Perez.

The Church led many American Catholics kicking and screaming toward integration (and not just in the South). Interestingly, Catholic lay people were not threatened with excommunication for supporting segregationist politicians (indeed, the American Catholic Church accommodated itself to segregation throughout the United States from the Civil War well into the 20th century despite vocal displeasure from Rome. I think a fair number of Catholics also supported George Wallace). Excommunication was directed at prominent leaders of movements that actively campaigned against integration or in favor of segregation. In general, the laity were told repeatedly that segregation was immoral, and the Church simply stopped catering to the social practice.

In 1948, Cardinal O'Boyle of Washington, DC simply announced that the Catholic schools would be integrated in the next academic year. And so they were. Where there was resistance the Cardinal made personal appearances and said that he would not tolerate any dissent. Some who were not ready for integration left the Church. Many others gave integration a try out of respect for their bishop and love for thier church.

American bishops do not have the same moral authority in this country that they had prior to Vatican II, but it is interesting to note that when they did, they were very selective in their use of the threat of excommunication. With that in mind, it seems curious that some bishops think that a person who simply supports a candidate who is pro-choice should not receive communion. The Church has also been quite explicit in its condemnation of the Iraq war, and a substantial body of Church teaching finds preemptive war immoral. Given what has been going on in Iraq (and Abu-Ghraib is just part of the story), can a Catholic vote for George Bush? Should Catholics who are active supporters of a war the Church opposes be excommunicated? It seems to me that the Bishops would accomplish more is by addressing their concerns directly to active public supporters of positions that are contrary to central Church teachings. Excommunication may become necessary in some cases, but I should think that the Bishops would want to avoid any appearance of political bias when taking that step.

Vince