A Junior Minister says he was "taken aback" after being refused communion at a friend's funeral. Cork TD, Colm Burke, was denied Holy Communion on Friday by Father Gabriel Burke, apparently because he voted to legalise abortion in 2018.
Sheila Naughton reports : "A livestream of the funeral mass for Michael Downey, a long-time friend of the Fine Gael Minister, shows Father Burke cover the chalice as the TD approaches. He was told this was because he had voted in favour of abortion - and the teachings of the church meant any politician who did, could not receive communion. The Minister has since written to the Bishop of Cloyne, William Crean, for clarification on this and it's reported he will contact Mr. Burke this week.
"The Association of Catholic Priests has condemned the actions of the priest, stating- abortion is complex and public representatives are tasked with finding the balance between the rights of the unborn child and the decision-making rights of the mother. They say it's not the role of the priest to judge the conscience of another person, insisting the priest does not own the Eucharist. The ACP ends by asking Father Burke to think about Pope Francis, who has never refused communion to anyone."
