NEWS PROVIDED BY
Catholic Action for Faith and Family
Oct. 29, 2021

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Oct. 29, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Thomas McKenna, President of Catholic Action for Faith & Family, has announced a prayer initiative calling upon the Catholic faithful to join in offering a Spiritual Bouquet for the intentions of the bishops of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore as they prepare to meet for their annual Fall Assembly.

"The need for prayer at this time is more critical than ever," said McKenna, noting that the Bishops are set to issue an official document about "Eucharistic coherence" for Catholics in America.

Especially in focus for this upcoming assembly is the long-standing and as-yet-unresolved issue of Catholic politicians who publicly flout the Church's teaching about the sanctity of human life but who nonetheless continue to receive Holy Communion.

This point has been highlighted in recent days by pro-abortion Joe Biden's visit to the Vatican and also with the passage of the most pro-abortion legislation in the history of our country seeking to override all states' rights and make abortion legal up until the ninth month of pregnancy. The membership of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by perpetually, rabidly pro-abortion Catholic Nancy Pelosi, is almost one-third Catholic.

The momentous task of prophetically proclaiming the Church's position falls primarily to the bishops, but there was controversy among the bishops at their Spring Assembly when it was proposed to draft a document addressing the issue of the Church's faith in the Holy Eucharist. The bishops were divided then, with fifty-five bishops voting – incredibly – not to form a committee to draft a document. Such dissent from union with the whole body of bishops took the wind out of their sails in addressing the issue and set up what is now an even more polarized environment.

At that time, Catholic Action for Faith & Family issued an Open Letter publicly questioning why some bishops would be opposed to drafting such a document.

But today's situation of a polarized electorate is not the first time the grave scandal of pro-abortion Catholic politicians has confronted the bishops.

His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke recently released a stunning and vivid account of the events surrounding this exact same issue that the bishops refused to address prior to the 2004 election when pro-abortion Catholic John Kerry was a candidate for the presidency
His Eminence stated correctly and concisely that pro-abortion Catholics "have, in fact, contributed in a significant way to the consolidation of a culture of death in the United States, in which procured abortion is simply a fact of daily life."

At that time, then-Cardinal McCarrick was appointed head of the bishops' task force to tackle the issue. It is now known that McCarrick received a letter from the head of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Ratzinger (the future Pope Benedict XVI), who supported the denial of Holy Communion to pro-abortion politicians. McCarrick sabotaged the work of this committee and scandalously hid the letter, which was addressed to the entire body of bishops.

We must ask: Has nothing changed in seventeen years?

Once again the bishops are confronted with an identical situation. Thomas McKenna notes that "The Catholic faithful deserve a coherent answer from our shepherds about this ongoing scandal. Our Spiritual Bouquet is for the bishops, asking the Holy Spirit to inspire them so we don't have another catastrophic McCarrick moment."

Cardinal Burke, who heads Catholic Action's Operation Storm Heaven prayer campaign, encouraged all Catholics to join in the Spiritual Bouquet:

"I urge the faithful, laity and clergy alike, to join in this special work of prayer on behalf of our Bishops, especially as they gather for their annual November meeting. Our Bishops, as true successors to the Apostles have the pastoral care of God's flock. They depend upon our prayers, so that they may be good, holy, and courageous shepherds, after the Heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd, defending human life and defending the Church. May the Holy Spirit guide their discussions and bless their deliberations."

Please connect with Catholic Action for Faith and Family at www.catholicaction.org.

Further media inquiries can be made to:
James Aitchison
(626) 627-1318
james@aitchison.us

SOURCE Catholic Action for Faith and Family

CONTACT: James Aitchison, 626-627-1318, james@aitchison.us