The way Pope Francis has handled the controversy surrounding the pro-abortion actions of President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose positions on the matter are starkly at odds with the teaching of their Catholic faith on the sanctity of human life, has left Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas feeling “sad.”
In an interview with the German newspaper Die Tagespost that was published on Wednesday, Naumann made a number of sharp remarks regarding the controversy, including the one mentioned above.
The archbishop reportedly told the newspaper, “I think the pope doesn’t understand the U.S., just as he doesn’t understand the Church in the U.S.,” according to CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.
Naumann continued, “His advisers and the people around him have entirely deceived him on this.
Naumann stated, “I said what I said,” in an interview with CNA on Thursday, standing by his comments to the publication.
Naumann added that he talked to the German media before learning of Pope Francis’ most recent remarks concerning Biden, in which the pope referred to the American president’s pro-abortion stance as a “incoherence” with reference to his Catholic religion.
The pope advised Biden to talk to his pastor about the issue in the interview with Univisión and Televisa that was broadcast on July 12. The pope stated that he leaves the decision up to Biden’s “conscience.”
Naumann told CNA, “I wasn’t aware of that statement from the Holy Father and I do think that’s good. “I think that’s perfectly true; his attitude is inconsistent with Catholic doctrine.
It’s extremely beneficial. I appreciate the Holy Father’s clarification, so.
When addressing such issues, Naumann stated to Tagespost, “Of course we have to be pastoral.”
“But when someone has committed a serious sin, it is not pastoral to tell them they are a good Catholic and automatically qualify for Communion,” he continued.
“The pope receiving Pelosi was used for political gain. Francis is perfectly following his own advice when he acts in this manner.”
Even while the Catholic Church teaches that human life should be treasured and safeguarded from the time of conception, Biden has frequently backed abortion rights.
Biden claimed that during their October encounter, Pope Francis advised him to “keep receiving Communion.”
The Vatican has not backed up Biden’s assertion.
According to the archbishop, Biden “knows what’s appropriate in this situation. There isn’t a defense.
He shouldn’t continue to identify as a devoted Catholic.”
Naumann claimed that the president was communicating to the public that “I support legal abortions and I’m a devoted Catholic at the same time, so you can, too” through his actions.
Politicians that “flaunt their Catholic faith and encourage such evil,” according to Naumann, cross the line.
President Biden claims to be a devoted Catholic, but his actions don’t actually support this claim, said Naumann.
“I believe he is portraying himself as a devout Catholic by praying the rosary and going to Mass.
Joe Biden followed the Democratic line rather than the doctrines of the Church, as can be shown by looking at his career.”
In response to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion throughout the United States, Biden signed an executive order last week to guarantee access to abortions.
The head of the pro-life committee for the U.S. bishops, Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore, responded to Biden’s decision by describing it as “very troubling and terrible.”
The topic of “Eucharistic coherence” has received extensive discussion and commentary in recent years, particularly in relation to Biden and other American Catholic politicians.
The “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” a new document on the Eucharist, was published in November as a result of those discussions.
Additionally, a three-year initiative for the Eucharistic revival was started, and it will culminate in a national Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis in July 2024.
The Eucharist paper reiterates the bishops’ earlier advice that Catholics who are not in agreement with the doctrine of the Church should not present themselves for Communion, even if it doesn’t specifically address Biden or other Catholic politicians by name.