Two-thirds of American Catholics think Mr Biden should be allowed to receive communion, according to a poll from the Pew Research Centre.The vote shows the gap between church hierarchy and its flock. Yet for some conservative bishops this is no great concern.As Charles Chaput, Philadelphia's former archbishop, said in 2016, "We should never be afraid of a smaller, lighter church if her members are more faithful, more zealous."Denying someone the eucharist is rare. When John Kerry ran for president in 2004, some bishops wanted to deny him communion, but never did.The latest dispute has sharpened the rift between the American church and Rome.The Vatican issued a letter telling the American bishops to back off. They ignored it.Meanwhile, politicians who favour the death penalty (which Pope Francis wants abolished) face no such sanction from the church.Stephen Schneck of the Franciscan Action Network, an advocacy group, who does not approve of abortion, cannot see the point of this measure.The Vatican will not approve it. It is unlikely to shame Mr Biden into reversing his stance.Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, DC, has said he will not deny Mr Biden communion.John Carr, a former spokesman for the Conference now at Georgetown University, a Catholic institution, believes that "we would all be better off if the bishops walked away from using the eucharist as a punishment."
根据皮尤研究中心的一项民意调查，三分之二的美国天主教徒认为应该允许拜登接受圣餐。投票结果显示了神职人员和其信徒之间的差异。然而，对于一些保守的主教来说这并不是什么大问题。正如费城前大主教查尔斯・查普特在2016年所说，“如果教会的成员更忠诚、更积极，我们就永远不会害怕一个更小、更无足轻重的教会。”拒绝接受圣餐是很少见的。2004年约翰・克里竞选总统时，一些主教想要拒绝他参加圣餐仪式，但从未成功。最近的争端加剧了美国教会和罗马之间的裂痕。梵蒂冈发表了一封信，要求美国主教们退让。然而他们忽略了这封信。与此同时，支持死刑(教皇方济各希望废除死刑)的政客们不会受到来自教会的这样的制裁。倡导组织方济会行动网络的斯蒂芬・施内克不赞成堕胎，他不明白这项措施的意义所在。梵蒂冈不会批准的。让拜登感到羞愧而改变自己的立场不太可能。华盛顿大主教威尔顿・格雷戈里表示，他不会拒绝拜登参加圣餐仪式。约翰・卡尔是该会议的前发言人，现就职于天主教机构乔治城大学。他认为，“如果主教们不再使用圣餐作为惩罚，我们都会过得更好。”
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