Your Catholic Week in Review (Voltaire and Communion Edition!)

François-Marie Arouet, better remembered by his nom de plume, Voltaire, was a thinker whose writings laid the foundations for the French Revolution and the subsequent Reign of Terror.  His works dripped with hatred for the Catholic Church, and all that he wrote was directed at the suppression and ultimate destruction of Catholicism.
 
In 1936, St. Maximilian Kolbe wrote the following account of Voltaire’s death in his publication, “Knights of the Immaculate”:

“I feel some hand,” — he cried — “that grabs me and pulls against the judgment of God.” Then having look at the wall, he said with terror: — “The devil is there, wants to catch me; I can see him, I can see the hell. Hide me!”

At the end, in excess of desperation and feverish thirst he grabbed the chamber pot, put to the mouth and emptied. Whereupon, being flooded with excrement and blood coming out of his mouth and the nose, and giving the last terrible cry, he gave up the ghost.

— If the Satan could die, he wouldn't finish in other way — a few converted eyewitnesses said after that. Similarly also said that doctor of the dead atheist: "I wish that all who were seduced by writings of Voltaire, witness his death. Such a view is impossible to bear.”

One of the causes of Voltaire’s terrifying death was his deliberate work to ruin souls, which he pursued with Hellish zeal.  One of his acolytes wrote to him about a problem he was having in following Voltaire’s precepts.  This young man told Voltaire that he accepted Voltaire’s writings, especially about liberation from morality, but he couldn’t find any relief from the pangs of guilt.  Voltaire wrote him back that if he wished to be liberated from the irritation of his conscience, he should frequently receive Holy Communion while in a state of mortal sin, saying to himself “I do not believe; I hate God; this is pure superstition.”

After four months’ time, the wretched soul thanked Voltaire for his advice writing that he was now a committed and convicted atheist.

I’m writing about Voltaire and Holy Communion because another of Voltaire’s apparent acolytes has added his voice to the debate about the denial of Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who promote ideologies that are completely inimical to the Catholic Faith.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Bp. McElroy’s piece in America Magazine and his feeble attempt to argue why Joseph Biden and other pro-abortion politicians should not be denied Holy Communion.

Earlier this week, the pro-abortion, pro-LGBT Virginia Senator and self-professed Catholic Tim Kaine wrote a piece for the heretical National Catholic Reporter, also arguing against the implementation of Canon 915.  His article, titled, “A Catholic senator's view on Biden and the bishops,” presents a convoluted argument against the denial of Communion to such individuals, and very much echoes something Voltaire said on this topic.

One of Voltaire’s works, titled, “Canonical Rights – Or Law: General Ideas of the Rights of the Church, by M. Bertrand, Heretofore First Pastor of the Church of Berne,” contains a section titled, “Superintendence of the Magistracy Over the Administration of the Sacraments.”  This section argues that the Church is to be subordinate to the judgement of the State, even with regard to the administration of the Sacraments.  Voltaire wrote:

"The administration of the sacraments ought to be submitted to the careful inspection of the magistrates in everything which concerns public order."

Now, compare that with what Tim Kaine wrote in his recent article:

“Just as I don't believe Catholic clergy should dictate how I do my job representing a pluralistic society, I don't presume to suggest what church doctrine should be. But I offer a simple suggestion: The American hierarchy should heed the words of Pope Francis and recognize Communion as an opportunity for healing rather than an occasion for judgment.”

In other words, Kaine is suggesting that the administration of the Sacraments ought to be subordinate to the legislative actions of politicians.  He continues:

“the same First Amendment that protects the rights of American Catholics to believe and worship as we choose also protects others who resolve moral questions differently based on their own faith and ethical deliberation.”

With these words, Kaine heretically and blasphemously elevates man-made, constitutional rights over and above the laws of the Church.  He even goes so far as to suggest here that within the Catholic Church, individual Catholics ought to be free to believe and worship as they like, regardless of what the Church teaches.  Mr. Kaine, welcome to Protestantism!

But what Kaine said that got me thinking about Voltaire was this:

“Every priest or bishop celebrating Mass anywhere in the world, and every Catholic parishioner attending Mass, says these profound words immediately before receiving Communion: ‘Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed.’
…
Bishops contemplating a declaration that some public officials are unworthy to receive Communion should recall that, by church doctrine, no one is worthy to receive Communion, even those in the hierarchy who administer it!”

Now … the words of Voltaire, from the same section of “Canonical Rights” cited above:

"No pastor, himself a sinner, ought to have the right of publicly refusing, on his own private authority, the eucharist to another sinner. The sinless Jesus Christ refused not the communion to Judas."

There can be no mistaking it; Tim Kaine is taking a page right out of the Voltaire playbook.  And like the young man who struggled with his conscience until he made a habit of receiving Holy Communion while in a state of mortal sin, Kaine, Pelosi, Biden, Kerry, and a host of other such politicians are working toward the systematic murder of consciences both inside and out of the Catholic Church.

One of the last things Tim Kaine said in his article was perhaps the most disturbing.  Emulating the formula for governance, written by Abraham Lincoln in his Gettysburg Address, that government is “of the people, by the people and for the people,” Kaine attempts to apply the same precept to the Sacraments, saying:

“A decision to deny Communion to some public officials would convert a sacrament of, by and for the unworthy into an indulgence, whereby a self-elevated clergy decides who to confer with favor at the altar.”

Ignoring the nonsensical nature of his comment for a moment, the disturbing element pertains to the nature of the Sacrament of Holy Communion in relation to the “unworthy.”  His claim that the Sacrament of Holy Communion is “of, by, and for the unworthy,” suggests that Christ Himself is also “unworthy.”  The “of” part of his statement pertains to the origin of the Sacrament, which is Christ.  The “by” aspect of his statement pertains to the act of consecration, which is done by both the priest at the altar and Christ with the priest.  Tim Kaine’s statement here, which is a poor attempt at a witticism, exposes his non-belief for what it is.  The Sacrament of Holy Communion is not a “what,” but a “Who.” 

That Tim Kaine (among other prominent figures, both lay and clerical) is reflecting the thought of Voltaire, clearly using his reasoning, we can be sure that the same results are looming before us.  Following Voltaire’s death came revolution and terror.  Our Lady has been calling us to penance and acts of reparation.  This is yet another sign that her warnings were not in vain.

More after the jump …

We are happy to announce that the Lepanto Institute is sponsoring and will be participating in the Men’s March on June 12.  The first ever National Men’s March to defend the least of these and call for the end of the government sanctioned daily mass murder of abortion.
 
There is a man connected to every abortion. Men are a big part of the problem, it’s time for all men to take responsibility and be a big part of the solution.
 
Saturday, June 12, 2021 in Washington, D.C.
11AM(ET) – Gather outside of Washington Surgi-Clinic Abortion Center (2112 F Street NW, 20037)
 
Professional dress code: wear a suit (priests in clerics)
 
No signs. We will have one banner to express our clear, unified message: Stop Murdering Our Preborn Children.  In every time and every place, murdering innocent human beings is wrong and must be outlawed.
 
We are calling on our nation to repent and begin again, to rightly recognize the value of every innocent human being by enshrining the right to life for the preborn into federal law.
 
For more information, go to https://themensmarch.com/

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Christus Vincit!

Michael Hichborn
President
Lepanto Insititute