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WASHINGTON, October 2, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A pro-life ad by the American Life League (ALL) calling on Los Angeles Cardinal Mahony to bar pro-abortion Catholic politicians Gray Davis, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Cruz Bustamante from reception of Communion was met with outrage by the liberal Cardinal’s spokesman.

Tod Tamberg, Director of Media Relations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles commented on the ad, insulting ALL President Judie Brown but at the same time revealing himself ignorant of Catholic teaching on reception of Communion.  Tamberg told Cybercast News Service (Conservatives Attack Schwarzenegger on Abortion, Homosexual Marriage—10-01), “The reception of Holy Communion by Catholics is a right guaranteed by the church, not a privilege.” He further stated, “She’s not Judge Judie, she’s not Bishop Judie, and she’s not Pope Judie. The bishops of the church, with the Holy Father, are the ones who interpret church law.”“The fact is no Catholic has a ‘right’ to receive the Body and Blood of Christ, truly present in the Sacrament of Holy Communion,” retorted Brown. “No human being is truly worthy of receiving the Sacrament, but a Catholic who persists in promoting a manifestly grave evil like abortion is clearly bringing sacrilege upon the Sacrament when he or she receives it. One need not be the Pope, a bishop or a judge to recognize that Canon Law #915 is clear.”

Canon 915 states, in part, that those “who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to communion.” Brown reiterated, “Individuals who advocate abortion, which is intrinsically evil, are persisting in grave sin and should not be given Holy Communion. Schwarzenegger, Davis and Bustamante are three such individuals.”“It is sad that personal attacks are the way archdiocesan officials have chosen to deal with this current scandal,” said Brown

See the ALL ad: https://www.all.org/hp8.htm   See the Cybercast News coverage: https://www.cnsnews.com/Politics/archive/200310/POL20031001a.html