Chicago Archbishop Commits Sacrilege?

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CHICAGO, April 24, 2015 (ChurchMilitant.com)—Eyewitness reports as well as television footage clearly prove that Illinois governor Bruce Rauner received Holy Communion at Cardinal George's funeral Mass at Holy Name Cathedral on Thursday, April 23.

Governor Rauner is not Catholic. (Courtesy: NBC Chicago)

Therefore, what appears to be a grave violation of Canon 844 has been committed. Present at the Mass was Chicago's new archbishop Blase Cupich.

In addition to the violation of canon law, the question is being asked: Was a sacrilege committed on the new archbishop's watch?

According to canon law, since the governor is a non-Catholic, he is unable to be given Holy Communion unless a number of conditions are all met:

1. Foremost, there must be a grave and urgent need, usually understood to mean danger of death.
2. The governor must demonstrate Catholic faith in the Real Presence.
3. He must be duly disposed, and not conscious of any grave sin.

As for the matter of sacrilege, it is understood to mean to treat that which is holy in an unholy manner. Unfaithful reception or administering of Holy Communion is a sacrilege. So a number of questions arise:

Did the archdiocese of Chicago, while extending an invitation to the governor to attend the funeral, perform its minimal duty to prevent any sacrilege by informing the governor's office that Holy Communion is reserved for Catholics in the state of grace?

Was political favor shown to the governor in the dismissing of canon law?

The USCCB has issued a clear directive on the matter of non-Catholics receiving Holy Communion. The directive states in part, “Because Catholics believe that the celebration of the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life, and worship, members of those churches with whom we are not yet fully united are ordinarily not admitted to Holy Communion” (emphasis added).

So the question remains: Is Archbishop Cupich disregarding the directives of his brother bishops?

In November 2014, newly appointed Archbishop Cupich created a controversy in the Catholic world when he was interviewed by CBS's Face the Nation. Cupich was asked point blank if he would give Holy Communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians. He ducked the question by saying he didn't want the issue to come up at the communion rail.

(Answer at 3:30)

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