Some interesting headlines on the Holy Communion question that the U. S. bishops will take up during their remote meeting beginning tomorrow, June 16.

CatholicVote commissioned CRC Research to conduct a poll of Mass-attending Catholics on a number of questions centered on Catholic practice surrounding the reception of Holy Communion. Most secular polls, when polling Catholics on various issues, include self-identifying Catholics, whether or not they attend Mass weekly or haven’t been to Mass in twenty years. As such, these polls report results that provide little in the way of reflecting current Catholic thinking. Catholics who attend Mass regularly are the ones that support the Church with their time, talent, and treasure. Their voice ought not be watered down by those “self-identifying Catholics” who are not invested in the life of the Church.

The results of the poll are interesting, if not especially surprising:

Even though 51% of those polled reported having voted for Joe Biden, and 56% agree that Biden is doing a fine job so far, they were not supportive of Catholic politicians, like Biden, who reject central articles of Catholic faith and morals receiving Holy Communion. CatholicVote reports that “74% of Catholics believe that Catholic public officials who disagree with their Church on serious or grave matters should avoid creating confusion and disunity by not presenting themselves for Communion.” Only 10% disagreed, thinking it perfectly fine that such Catholics receive Communion.

Some other results:

83% agree that Catholic bishops should defend Catholic teaching; 6% disagreed.

90% agree that bishops should be teaching on faith and morals; 2% disagreed.

83% agree that Catholic public officials who disagree with Church teaching on serious or grave matters “create confusion and disunity”; 7% disagreed.

You can read the full report here.

Catholic News Service reports that the story that President Biden will attend a Mass where Pope Francis will preside was inaccurate. Biden’s entourage had requested that Biden attend Mass with Pope Francis, but the request was denied by the Vatican, CNS writes, “after considering the impact that Biden receiving Holy Communion from the pope would have on the discussion the USCCB is planning to have during their meeting starting Wednesday, June 16.”

This gives the lie to a New York Times rather transparent attempt to pressure the U. S. bishops on the question of Biden receiving Communion with an article that appeared on Monday claiming, falsely, that the Vatican warned the U. S. bishops not to deny Biden Communion over abortion. The NY Times, like most American media outlets, sees all life in political terms of red vs. blue, so they paint bishops who are concerned about the scandal giving Catholic public servants who reject Church teaching Communion would cause as Trump supporters. They can hardly imagine that Catholic bishops are motivated by a desire to preserve the integrity of the Catholic sacraments and avoid confusion and disunity among those in the pews. Nope. It’s all about politics, Trump bishops vs. Biden bishops. Their ignorance and laziness, as well as their presumption, ought to give pause to any Catholic who might be tempted to take the NY Times seriously on Catholic matters.

Let’s pray for the bishops as they meet to discuss many issues, including a statement of coherence on Holy Communion. Let’s pray that they have the strength of spirit and the courage of their convictions to teach clearly and wisely the faith give to us by the apostles.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.