NIghtswimmer -

I don't want to pick nits with you, honest!

The Sacrament of the Eucharist is a pretty personal moment in the spiritual life of a Catholic person. Who am I to say who should and shouldn't get it?

I think most priests feel similarly. To be honest it is not The Catholic Church that is making the big stink about who should and shouldn't get the Eucharist.

It is people, individuals, who like to make it sound like they are speaking for "The Church" when, in fact, they are not.

As an aside - all 501(c)(3) religious organizations in the US are prohibited from participating in politics, as a group. So actually you won't see The Catholic Church - or any other church that wants to maintain its non-profit status- make ANY official political statement about abortion, war, parties etc.

When and if someone does (I'm thinking of the yahoo in Chicago) he is immediately reprimanded by the Bishop, the Church issues its official statement, and it does its best to keep that silence.

People can say whatever they want. And, they can make it sound (especially on the internet) like they are "official" and all. But that is the fact of the matter -- and if you parse it carefully enough you'll find that in America anyway, there is no official political stand by The Catholic Church.

There are moral stands. But not political ones.

Parse away.

:)