The Vatican warned American bishops against using communion as a political tool, as some are considering denying communion to politicians, including President Joe Biden because of their support for abortion rights, according to the New York Times.
“The concern in the Vatican is not to use access to the Eucharist as a political weapon,” Antonio Spadaro, a Jesuit priest and ally of the pope, told the Times.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will convene a three-day General Assembly starting on Wednesday and are expected to force debate and a vote on the issue of communion, despite the pope’s warning.
Biden, who is the second Catholic president in U.S. history, supports abortion rights which puts him at odds with the Catholic church belief on the issue.
