Joe Biden denied Holy Communion at Florence church because of his stance on abortion

Joe Biden was reportedly denied Holy Communion in a catholic church in South Carolina as he ‘advocated for abortion. 

Father Robert E. Morey, from Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, claimed that he refused the Democratic presidential 20202 hopeful Holy Communion because of his stance on abortion. 

Biden, who has been a lifelong Catholic but whose position on abortion is unclear, had attended 9am mass on Sunday as he was in South Carolina for campaign appearances.  

‘Sadly, this past Sunday, I had to refuse Holy Communion to former Vice President Joe Biden,’ Morey told SCNow.com.

‘Holy Communion signifies we are one with God, each other and the Church. Our actions should reflect that. Any public figure who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching.’

Joe Biden was reportedly denied Holy Communion in a South Carolina church because of his stance on abortion

Days previously, Biden appeared to object to a proposal to outlaw abortions in South Carolina after about six weeks of pregnancy after Senate Republicans removed protections in the bill for women who become pregnant from rape or incest

Days previously, Biden appeared to object to a proposal to outlaw abortions in South Carolina after about six weeks of pregnancy after Senate Republicans removed protections in the bill for women who become pregnant from rape or incest

Morey added: ‘I will keep Mr. Biden in my prayers.’ The Eucharist or Communion is one of seven sacraments administered to followers of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Biden campaign would not confirm to SC.now that he was in the church and said he would have done so in a private capacity.  

Biden, who was vice president from 2009 to 2017 under Barack Obama, had been in South Carolina for a town hall meeting at Wilson High School. He also had an appearance at 11 am on Sunday at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hartsville.

He recently expressed disagreement on a proposal to outlaw abortions in South Carolina after about six weeks of pregnancy after Senate Republicans removed protections in the bill for women who become pregnant from rape or incest.

In a tweet on September 23 he said: ‘Let’s be clear, this ban is dangerous and directly violates a woman’s constitutional right to choose. We must stop it. 

‘As president, I will codify Roe into federal law and ensure this choice remains between a woman and her doctor.’

In June, Biden reversed course and declared that he no longer supports a long-standing congressional ban on using federal health care money to pay for abortions.

‘If I believe health care is a right, as I do, I can no longer support an amendment’ that makes it harder for some women to access care, Biden said at a Democratic Party fundraiser in Atlanta.

The former vice president’s reversal on the Hyde Amendment came after rivals and women’s rights groups blasted him for affirming through campaign aides that he still supported the decades-old budget provision.   

A Roman Catholic who has wrestled publicly with abortion policy for decades, Biden said he voted as a senator to support the Hyde Amendment because he believed that women would still have access to abortion even without Medicaid insurance.  

Biden, who has been a lifelong Catholic but whose position on abortion is unclear, had attended 9am mass on Sunday as he was in South Carolina for campaign appearances

Biden, who has been a lifelong Catholic but whose position on abortion is unclear, had attended 9am mass on Sunday as he was in South Carolina for campaign appearances

Father Robert E. Morey, from Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, claimed that he refused the Democratic presidential 20202 hopeful Holy Communion because of his stance on abortion. The church is pictured above

Father Robert E. Morey, from Saint Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, claimed that he refused the Democratic presidential 20202 hopeful Holy Communion because of his stance on abortion. The church is pictured above 

It was part of what Biden has described as a ‘middle ground’ on abortion.

Now, he says, there are too many barriers that threaten that constitutional right, leaving some women with no reasonable options as long as Republicans keep pushing for an outright repeal of the Supreme Court’s 1973 decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

The former vice president said he arrived at the decision as part of developing an upcoming comprehensive health care proposal. 

He has declared his support for a Medicare-like public option as the next step toward universal coverage. He reasoned that his goal of universal coverage means women must have full and fair access to care, including abortion.

Biden’s decades long position first gained new scrutiny several weeks ago when the American Civil Liberties Union circulated video of the candidate telling an activist who asked about the Hyde Amendment that it should be repealed.

Biden had an appearance at 11 am on Sunday at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hartsville. He had attended a Catholic Church prior to this

Biden had an appearance at 11 am on Sunday at Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hartsville. He had attended a Catholic Church prior to this 

Biden is seen arriving at Benedict College for the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum at the college in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. October 26

Biden is seen arriving at Benedict College for the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum at the college in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. October 26

His campaign later affirmed his support for his fellow Democrats’ call for a federal statute codifying the Roe v. Wade abortion decision into law.

The Hyde Amendment is a legislative provision barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortion except to save the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy arises from incest or rape.

The original Hyde Amendment was passed on September 30, 1976, three years after Roe v Wade, and must be passed again each year a rider to the HHS appropriations bill.

Anti-abortion groups argue that the Hyde Amendment is a critical protection for Americans’ freedom of conscience.

‘The Hyde Amendment has been a unique compromise by Americans on all sides of the abortion debate, declaring that because abortion is so controversial, our federal tax dollars should not be used to end unborn lives,’ says the conservative American Center for Law and Justice.

Pro-abortion activists argue that the Hyde Amendment penalizes low-income women by denying them subsidized abortion covered by Medicaid.

Biden speaks with students from Benedict College following the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum at the college in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. October 26

Biden speaks with students from Benedict College following the 2019 Second Step Presidential Justice Forum at the college in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. October 26

Donald Trump later criticized Joe Biden for his policy flips, just days after the former vice president changed his mind on abortion funding.

The US President disparaged Biden Tuesday in an interview that’s due to air as part of an hour-long program on ABC News.

‘He has recalibrated on everything… Everything he’s said he’s taken back two weeks later because he’s getting slammed by the left. And he stuck with this stuff. He’s really stuck with this.’

In an interview in 2015, Biden stated that he believes ‘abortion is always wrong’ but he will not impose his beliefs on the rest of the country through anti-abortion legislation.

The 76-year-old claimed to have spoken about the issue with Pope Benedict in an ‘enlivening’ discussion just months before the pope stepped down in February 2013.

He said: ‘I’m prepared to accept that at the moment of conception there’s human life and being, but I’m not prepared to say that to other God­fearing [and] non­-God­fearing people that have a different view.’

Biden added that he has struggled in his time in office it taking a public and legislative stance on policies in opposition to his Church.

‘There’s even been disagreement in our church… Abortion is always wrong, but there’s been debate.’

 



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