Report: Pope Francis Just Rejected a Major Request from Biden by Erin Coates
June 17, 2021 at 12:45pm
The Vatican reportedly rejected a request for President Joe Biden to attend an early morning Mass with Pope Francis.
A Vatican source told Catholic News Agency there is no meeting scheduled between Pope Francis and Biden.
The White House reportedly asked if Biden could attend Mass with the Pope on Tuesday.
“The proposal was nixed by the Vatican after considering the impact that Biden receiving Holy Communion from the Pope would have on the discussions the [United States Conference of Catholic Bishops] is planning to have during their meeting starting Wednesday, June 16,” CNA reported.
The U.S. Bishops are scheduled to vote this week on creating a committee to draft a document about Eucharistic coherence.
Adhering to Eucharistic coherence means bishops should be aware public officials cannot receive Holy Communion and “act with deeds or words against the commandments, particularly when abortion, euthanasia, and other grave crimes against life and family are encouraged,” according to CNA.
The Bishops’ vote will decide if Catholic politicians who support abortion should be barred from receiving Communion.
The Bishops discussed during a 2019 USCCB meeting if they should make abortion their top concern, The Washington Post reported.
“We are at a unique moment with the upcoming election cycle to make a real challenge to >Roe v. Wade, given the possible changes to the Supreme Court. We should not dilute our efforts to protect the unborn,” Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, said, according to the National Catholic Reporter.
The president has run into trouble over receiving Communion because of his support of abortion.
In 2019, he was denied Communion by a South Carolina priest who said any leader “who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching,” The Post reported.
John Kelly was part of the Democratic National Committee team in 2008 that would find Catholic parishes that would welcome Biden during the Obama-McCain presidential race.
Kelly told The Post that Biden’s team got mad at him when he suggested one of Biden’s priest friends travel with him to avoid any confrontation.
“They felt, and they were right, that he wants to go to church and should have the right to. He wants to worship with his community,” Kelly said.
“His understanding of the Eucharist was it shouldn’t be done hidden in private. I very much felt the Eucharist was being weaponized.”
Pope Francis and Biden previously met in 2015 while Biden was vice president, according to CNA.
Biden also visited the Vatican on April 29, 2016, and praised Pope Francis, who he said comforted him after the loss of his eldest son Beau a year prior.