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WASHINGTON, August 5, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – American Life League’s Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church has today released its newest ad, which appeals to Pope John Paul II to clarify enforcement of Canon 915. This section of Church law states that persons who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to communion. Today’s advertisement continues the Crusade’s effort to encourage American bishops to withhold Holy Communion from known pro-abortion “Catholic” public figures.

The full-page ad in today’s Washington Times displays a photo of Pope John Paul II. American Life League president Judie Brown said the ad’s heading “asks the most important question facing every American Catholic bishop today: Is Abortion Not All That Bad, or Is the Eucharist Not All That Good?”

The ad explains there are 500 “Catholic” politicians in the United States who regularly promote abortion and receive Holy Communion. “The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, has made it very clear in his statements and writings that the Holy Eucharist must be protected from known sacrilege. He has also noted that Canon 915 supplies the proper means for taking this action,” said Brown. “We implore the Holy Father to engage his brother bishops on the need for them to enforce this fundamental teaching of the Church: you cannot be a Catholic in good standing and support abortion in the least way.”

Today’s ad will also run in several national newspapers over the next 10 days. In January 2003, American Life League initiated its effort to encourage bishops to enforce Church law and bar pro-abortion Catholic public figures from receiving Holy Communion. Brown says the campaign will continue until all 294 American bishops enforce Canon 915.

See the ad online:  https://www.all.org/crusade/pontiff.pdf   jhw