In the Roman Catholic Church, it is considered a mortal sin to support abortion in any manner. If you are in a state of mortal sin, you need the Sacrament of Confession for your sins to be forgiven before you present yourself to receive communion again. President Joe Biden claims to be a “devout” Catholic, but that has not stopped him from being pro-choice, nor from openly defying Church teaching on the matter.
Recently, he slammed Florida’s new pro-life bill as “dangerous” because it limits abortion to 15-weeks. In response, a Virginia Catholic priest let the commander-in-chief know when he can attend confession at his parish.
On Friday, The Daily Wire reported that “lawmakers in Florida voted to prohibit most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy” on Thursday night.
According to Politico, “It provides no exceptions for victims of rape, incest or human trafficking. Existing Florida law restricts abortions after 24 weeks.”
Biden condemned the bill via Twitter, stating, “the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature passed a dangerous bill that will severely restrict women’s access to reproductive health care.”
“My Administration will not stand for the continued erosion of women’s constitutional rights,” he added.
This marked the second time in one week that Biden defended the right to kill a baby in the womb.
On Ash Wednesday, the president said he did not want to pass “judgement” on other people, and that he didn’t want to get into a “theological debate” over abortion.
That interaction can be seen here:
REPORTER: "As a Catholic, why do you support abortion?"
BIDEN: "I don't want to get in a debate with you on theology, but you know…I'm not going to make a judgement for other people."
REPORTER: "But you're Catholic!" pic.twitter.com/KR7njW1cW9
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 2, 2022
But, as The Daily Wire noted after that comment, there is not much of “theological debate” to be had on abortion within the Catholic Church.
Obtaining, providing, or supporting an abortion — thereby ending an innocent life — has always been a mortal sin. As a public figure openly supporting abortion, Biden is not just putting his own soul at risk, but is also committing a sin of scandal by leading other Catholics astray on this topic.
Catholics believe each human being from the moment of conception until natural death has inherent dignity and is the made in the image of God, and therefore has the right to life. To go against this is to go against the Church.
Catholic Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone — who serves the Diocese of San Francisco — wrote last summer that “you cannot be a good Catholic and support expanding a government-approved right to kill innocent human beings.”
Cordileone added, “everyone who advocates for abortion, in public or private life, who funds it or who presents it as a legitimate choice, participates in a great moral evil.”
Perhaps understanding Biden was participating in a “great moral evil” and therefore sinning with his comments, Father Dan Beeman of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Newport News, Virginia, kindly let him know that he holds confessions “at noon on Sunday, 5pm on Wednesday, and 3 on Saturday, Mr. President.”
Confessions are at noon on Sunday, 5pm on Wednesday, and 3 on Saturday, Mr. President. https://t.co/7lUg6U3f15
— Father Dan Beeman (@inthelineofmel) March 5, 2022
On Saturday, Getty Images captured photos of Biden walking out of his hometown parish St. Joseph on the Brandywine in Greenville, Delaware, after the five o’clock Mass.
All are welcome in Mass regardless of if they are in a state of mortal sin, but those Catholics are asked to refrain from receiving Communion out of respect and love for the Body and Blood of Christ, as the Church believes is present in the Eucharist.
It is unclear if Biden made it to confession during the 4:00 pm slot that the church allots for the sacrament, but perhaps he can make a trip south to Newport News this week instead and visit Father Beeman.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.