July 27, 2007

Be Our Guest / Mark Cappel

When it comes to abortion and Communion, where do you stand?

I strongly agree with editor emeritus Jack Fink’s editorial position concerning “Abortion and Communion” in the July 13 issue of The Criterion.

It has been said once before, but was in need of a second wind.

If you are Catholic, you choose life. If you choose life, you are pro-life.

Therefore, if you’re a Catholic you are pro-life—no questions asked.

If you say you are Catholic but you are pro-choice, then maybe you haven’t really found yourself in the Catholic faith.

Abortion puts you in the position of mortal sin. Psalm 139:13-14 reads, “For thou didst form my inward parts; thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are thy works, and my soul knows it very well.”

We had our own personality before we were even born. We knew God before we were even made. At the time of our conception, we are life, we are a human being—even though in its simplest form.

The sixth commandment says “Thou shalt not kill.” If a fetus is a human life then abortion is one of the most grievous sins.

Being in the state of mortal sin means that until we have gone to confession and asked for forgiveness from that specific sin, we cannot participate in the sacrament of holy Communion.

To be able to participate in holy Communion, one must be pro-life or you should never be able to receive the Eucharist.

You would have to go to confession many times and always have that one sin. But if you keep doing the same thing over and over, and asking for forgiveness over and over, then are you truly sorry?

If not, then where do you stand in your faith?

(Mark Cappel is a member of St. Monica Parish in Indianapolis.) †

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