In that essay, McElroy called for “a eucharistic theology that effectively invites all of the baptized to the table of the Lord, rather than a theology of eucharistic coherence that multiplies barriers to the grace and gift of the Eucharist.” McElroy later, in a podcast interview, clarified that by “the baptized” he was referring to all baptized Catholics, and said that his view stemmed from Pope Francis’ description of the Eucharist as “not as a prize for the perfect, but as a source of healing for us all.”
At issue, Paprocki wrote, is McElroy’s apparent rejection of the Church’s teaching, contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, that “Anyone aware of having sinned mortally must not receive communion without having received absolution in the sacrament of penance” (No. 1415). In Paprocki’s view, McElroy’s statements on the Eucharist are “contrary to a ‘truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith.’”
“The truth about eucharistic coherence that must be believed by divine and Catholic faith was articulated by St. Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians: ‘Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord … For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself’ (1 Cor 11:27–29). This has been the constant teaching of the Church for the past two thousand years,” Paprocki wrote.
“[I]t is deeply troubling to consider the possibility that prelates holding the office of diocesan bishop in the Catholic Church may be separated or not in full communion because of heresy. Yet both the cases mentioned above would in fact involve heresy, since heresy is defined as ‘the obstinate denial or obstinate doubt after the reception of baptism of some truth which is to be believed by divine and Catholic faith’ (canon 751 of the Code of Canon Law),” he wrote.
In a Wednesday statement to CNA, Paprocki said his essay was not intended to be an accusation of any cardinal in particular.
“I intentionally did not mention names because I do not want this to be about the personalities involved but about the Catholic teachings that are being denied,” Paprocki said.
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