In Brazil, Catholics are furious at a priest who defied church doctrine and gave Holy Communion to the socialist presidential Labor Party candidate Fernando Haddad, whose party has endorsed abortion as a woman’s right.
The priests who hail from the same parish as Fr. Jaime Crowe, the priest who offered Haddad communion, defended him by quoting Pope Francis stating, “Who am I to judge?” They stated:
Regarding the fact that the candidates received communion, we clarify that the Rite of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church is the unique moment of reflection and decision of the faithful. We trust in the conscience of each one, and to quote the words of Pope Francis, “if they seek God, who am I to judge?” We feel ourselves to be in communion with the Church of Brazil that also received other candidates for the government of São Paulo in the Basilica of Aparecida and in the Sanctuary of Saint Jude Thaddeus.
Crowe greeted Haddad, saying, “We feel honored by your presence,” as O Globo reported.
But a woman who accosted Haddad after the mass took issue with him receiving Communion. That prompted Haddad to respond, “I am the grandson of a religious leader. You must be an atheist.” She told the Brazilian publication Estadão that Haddad entering the church was a “sacrilege … the Catholic Church doesn’t permit it. He is an abortionist. He shouldn’t be here inside [the church].”
Haddad himself has implied he could support abortion in certain cases although he has publicly claimed he is “personally against abortion.” Haddad’s vice presidential running mate, Manuela D’Ávila, wants to legalize abortion. The priest who gave Haddad Communion also allegedly offered it D’Ávila.
As Lifesite News explains:
Canon 915 of the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law says that those “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.” Despite this, many priests and bishops ignore the canon and distribute Holy Communion, which the Church teaches is the literal body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, to public officials who actively advocate for abortion while purporting to be Catholic.
But Crowe slammed Haddad’s opponent, Jair Bolsonaro, for suggesting that the Brazilian citizenry be armed. Crowe pontificated, “How did we get to this point? When someone can say to us that a good crook is a dead crook. Someone can say to us: it’s necessary to arm the whole world. Arms are instruments of death. A Christian must be in favor of life.”
The Washington Post notes:
Brazil’s supreme court is considering decriminalizing abortion through the 12th week of pregnancy, stoking activists’ hopes that the country could follow other Latin American nations in loosening abortion restrictions. … Abortion is banned in almost all cases in Brazil and is punishable by up to three years in prison. Still, 1 in 5 Brazilian women younger than 40 has undergone an abortion, according to a 2016 poll. … A majority of Brazilians remains staunchly against the legalization of abortion, but polls show a growing number believe that women who have abortions should not go to jail.