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VATICAN, July 13, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The document which appeared in the pages of the Italian paper L’Espresso claiming to be Vatican Cardinal Ratzinger’s paper giving direction to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on the question of pro-abortion Catholic politicians and communion has been confirmed as authentic.  In a letter sent to Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, Cardinal Ratzinger confirms he did compose the document “Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion.”  In fact, Ratzinger, who heads the most important congregation in the Vatican, says in the letter that the document was to “clarify the doctrine of the Church on this specific issue.”  In the documents, the Vatican Cardinal noted clearly that pro-abortion politicians, who will not alter their stand or abstain from communion after being instructed by church leaders, “must” be refused communion.  See the LifeSiteNews.com coverage of the document.  Highest Authorities in Vatican Back Denial of Communion to Pro-Abortion Politicians https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jul/04070501.html

See the original leak of the document from L’Espresso   https://213.92.16.98/ESW_articolo/0,2393,42196,00.html

See the letter from Cardinal Ratziinger confirming the document.  https://usccb.org/comm/archives/2004/04-133.htm   jhw