Serious Consequences for Catholic Non-Voters

It is being reported that a Nigerian bishop is encouraging his flock to vote, informing them that it is their sacred duty to do so, and even going to the extent of saying that they will not be allowed to receive Communion if they do not register to vote.

It’s not clear if these reports are accurate, but some of the handling of them in the press is demonstrably *in*accurate.

In particular, the statement that non-registering Catholics will be excommunicated is flatly wrong. Refusing someone Communion is not the same as excommunicating them.

ED PETERS HAS THE STORY.

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

10 thoughts on “Serious Consequences for Catholic Non-Voters”

  1. I doubt the complete veracity of the report, as Peters suggests. Still, I must confess a bit of excitement at the thought of a bishop, frustrated at the inactivity of his flock, threatening to do a little crozier swinging over something other than the Bishop’s Appeal.

  3. Better phrasing: “…that British reporter, Ms. Incompetent, you sometimes highlight?” (The coffee hasn’t kicked in yet).

  4. I hope our bishops don’t decide to jump on this bandwagon…between McCain and Clinton, I’m not sure there’s anyone worth voting for at all.
    The track record of our bishops don’t suggest they will though.

  6. Did this report come from that British reporter you sometimes highlight, Ms. Incompetent?
    bill912:
    Is Jimmy really Ms. Incompetent? ;^)

Comments are closed.