I am annoyed with the American bishops these days. They are meddling in politics in my opinion. The issue isn't abortion, which I firmly oppose, the issue is Eucharist. Eucharist is the most sacred and private moment of a person's life. It is an intimate moment with Jesus. Each person comes up to receive Communion knowing in their own heart whether they are a sinner or a penitent.
All this talk of with holding Communion to politicians is distracting from the good that the church does, from the good it is called to do. If the bishops were releasing a statement that they condemned abortion and called for all people to condemn it too, I could fully support that. If the bishop of a prominent person had a private conversation with that person regarding their public views I could support that.
But, this with holding communion thing is about control. The bishops don't have control. They don't have control of me, they don't have control of politicians, they don't have control even of their priests and other employees. All the bishops can do is teach, with words and with example. The cover ups of the priest sexual abuse scandals has given the bishops a very black eye for teaching by example. They have to work hard to overcome those mistakes and those they weren't responsible for, but by men in the same office they hold.
I hope that the Holy Spirit will touch the hearts and minds of those American bishops and help them to focus on the true call of Christ to love and to teach love. I pray for that.