A U.S democratic lawmaker has been denied communion by a Roman Catholic bishop in New Mexico due to the lawmaker’s decision to support legislation that revoked a law that criminalized abortion in the state.
Senator Joe Cervantes took to Twitter to state that Bishop Peter Baldacchino of the Diocese of Las Cruces denied him communion last Friday. The tweet read,
“I was denied communion last night by the Catholic bishop here in Las Cruces and based on my political office. My new parish priest has indicated he will do the same after the last was run off. Please pray for church authorities as Catholicism transitions under Pope Francis.”
However, in an interview with Catholic News Agency on Monday, the director of communications for the diocese, Christopher Velasquez, supported the decision to deny the lawmaker communion.
“It did not happen on the spur of the moment. In terms of the diocese, we regret the decision of Senator Cervantes to politicize this issue,” Velasquez said.
According to Velasquez, Cervantes was denied communion because he sponsored Senate Bill 10, a bill that permits abortion to stay legal if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. The bill was signed into law earlier this year.
“Cervantes was contacted multiple times prior, letting him know that if he voted for Senate Bill 10, he should not present himself for communion,” Velasquez stated.
He added that the lawmaker being denied communion is not connected with politics or his office. Rather, the reason was the Senate Bill 10 because of what it involves.
Recently, there have been debates on if Catholic politicians who are promoting pro-choice legislation should not be allowed communion for pushing views contrary to the Church’s teachings on abortion. President Joe Biden has also come under attack for his views on abortion despite being a staunch Catholic.
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