Can. 915 Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion.A complaint was lodged against Father Garnizo, which was addressed by Most Rev. Barry Knestout, who threw Father Garnizo under the bus. A complaint that it was at a funeral, which does not change the standard, was lodged by the prospective communicant. The bishop, Most Rev. Barry Knestout, seems to have erred in this matter, embarrassing Father Garnizo. I think Father Garnizo should appeal this decision to the Congregation for the Clergy, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Holy Father himself if need be.
A Disturbing Trend
The bishops seemed to have a habit of throwing priests overboard. With the new norms for clergy abuse, priests have found themselves being left by their bishops to the sharks. Several innocent priests have died due to the stress of trial after trial, even though some have been found innocent. The pendulum has swung too far.
Father Garnizo acted appropriately given a lesbian was presenting herself to communion. Perhaps the bishops should think about their faithful, instead of abandoning them to pander to a manifest grave sinner.
Much of this article was written to swing the pendulum back. Throwing priests under the bus is not the standard, neither is siding with them at all times and in all matters. Rather, a due consideration of both the rights of priests and of the faithful. It is a not an either/or situation, but rather a both/and. Both the needs of the accused and of the accuser need to be considered, not an all or nothing approach which fears the possible fall-out of civil authorities:
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love" (1 John 4:18).
