Defending Cardinal Wuerl | National Catholic Reporter

Defending Cardinal Wuerl | National Catholic Reporter by MSW.  MGB: Technically, now that the split between east and west has been healed, we are Ecumenical Patriarch Barthalomew Catholics - it just has not been made official.  This identification with a particular pope does point to the mindset, however, of why the right wing, the American Spectator, the pro-life movement and espeecially Mr. Neumayr want a more muscular conformity on Communion vis-a-vis abortion.  They consider it a group issue, not an issue of individual morality.  They think if they get enough people in their group - they will win (regardless of the fact that abortion was not enacted by a vote - with the exception of New York and California - where Reagan signed the law).  They would have Communion be a right of group membership (which is why Protestants - even real pressence believers - are excluded).  Francis scares them to death - because under their logic if Francis uses the Eucharist to enforce social and economic justice they would be denied Communion.  They meditate about that for a while and think about distancing themselves and the pro-life movement from Republican political operations.