Was listening to Cardinal George on Catholic Answers (Monday’s show) talking a bit about this. He gave a satisfactory answer to the question of why we need a committee to study this issue. Basically, because we have always left this up to the individual bishops and now a push for unity is on us, they want to make sure they are all on the same page. They may not come out as a conference for denying communion to the likes of Kerry, but that is what the committee is for. They need to figure out the implications of a public rebuke, what specifically would trigger it, when and to what degree, etc. etc.
What amazes me is when you have bishops out and out say that they will NEVER deny communion to anyone, specifically those in England. What about this? Let’s say the Queen visits a Catholic Church and comes up for communion. Do you give or deny? You know she is obviously not Catholic in her beliefs and how she acts on them. You know she is not disposed to receive. How is that different from someone like John Kerry? He is obviously not in line with FUNDAMENTAL, NON-NEGOTIABLE Catholic teachings. He is persistently against Church teaching on life issues. He actively, 100% of the time votes against life and goes to pro-abortion rallies. He doesn’t even make the fool’s pretense of the “personally opposed but” argument. Church officials from the Pope to several US bishops have indicated that a Catholic politician in his state ought not to receive. Cardinal Arinze has gone so far as to say if a person ought not to receive, it should not be given.
We stand at a unique point in history in my opinion. As faithful Catholics we are called to spread the Gospel and strengthen the Church. Coming out of the recent scandals, we MUST represent and stand for TRUTH. That means we rebuke those who do wrong. Did we learn NOTHING from the past 2 years? The Church is the only institution to have continually and consistently taught the same thing on life and moral issues. We must stand as a beacon of truth and morals. This is something that attracts people. We cannot bring in people who will grow the Church if we don’t stand fast.