Cardinal Egan statement on Rudolph Giuliani receiving communion

UPDATE: We received an email pointing out that this column by Robert Novak may have been the motivation for Cardinal Egan’s press release Disobeying the Pope – HUMAN EVENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2008

                                                            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

                                                            Joseph Zwilling

                                                            212-371-1011 ext. 2997

                                                            516-437-7931

The following is a statement issued by Edward Cardinal Egan: 

“ The Catholic Church clearly teaches that abortion is a grave offense against the will of God.  Throughout my years as Archbishop of New York, I have repeated this teaching in sermons, articles, addresses, and interviews without hesitation or compromise of any kind.   Thus it was that I had an understanding with Mr. Rudolph Giuliani, when I became Archbishop of New York and he was serving as Mayor of New York, that he was not to receive the Eucharist because of his well-known support of abortion.  I deeply regret that Mr. Giuliani received the Eucharist during the Papal visit here in New York, and I will be seeking a meeting with him to insist that he abide by our understanding.”