Excommunnication of Public Officials

When is it the right thing for bishops to deny sacraments and sacramentals? When is the mercy of God withheld? When has the Church ever declared that a death bed conversion is too late?

How can these questions be answered without knowing the full story? Through the revelation of God Himself we know that His mercy is never denied, only rejected. Through history we know that the church received death bed conversions, even from faithful Catholics, on every single day the sun rises. Through pastoral care is the only way we would ever know whether it would be right for a bishop to deny the sacraments from any person. The Pope had no such relationship with Ted Kennedy, and could not make any such judgment. Whoever was the confessor to dear old Teddy may have had some knowledge, whoever was his pastor would have had some responsibility but may never have had opportunity. Bringing sheep into the fold is a delicate business, just as delicate as answering questions raised by those already in the fold.

The pope prays for Ted Kennedy, and millions of others who are or who appear to be outright enemies of the Church. Pray for your persecutors, right? That has nothing at all to do with pastoral care, excommunication, death bed conversions, or a very long process of purgation. It's right to pray for those you don't even know; it's wrong for a bishop to deny sacraments or sacramentals when they have had no opportunity to address the error and correct the Catholic in question.

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