By: Modesto P. Sa-onoy
The November 28 report of LifeSiteNews said that a priest denied Holy Communion to a woman judge who had contracted “marriage” to another woman. In effect, she is a lesbian and had proclaimed to be one.
The news said that Fr. Scott Nolan of the Diocese of Grand Rapids in Michigan had earlier advised the judge “not to present herself to receive communion.” Despite that advice, she did approach the Eucharist.
Sara Smolenski, chief judge of the Kent County District Court in Western Michigan, told a local NBC affiliate that Fr. Nolan refused to give her Holy Communion because she is “married” to a woman.
Fr. Nolan had told Smolenski during a private conversation on the phone not to present herself for Communion. This happened after she and other parishioners wore gay pride pins to church in an apparent political display and clearly an attempt to protest or to vilify Church teaching. If they had displayed their sexual orientation elsewhere that is different but to disrespect the Holy Eucharist is a serious matter. It was an insult that should not be tolerated because she insulted God in the Eucharist. To ignore the insult is to be complicit in this act.
Fr. Nolan and all Catholics had the duty to protect the sacredness of the Holy Mass and the Eucharist from people who would trample the Body and Blood of Christ. The action of this judge is disrespectful, something that she would not allow in her courtroom and would probably send the disrespectful to jail for contempt.
Non-Catholic media lambasted Fr. Nolan but the parishioners came to his defense with a show of force. The judge did not complain but a parishioner (unnamed) did and wanted that the priest be removed from the St. Stephen parish. The media took the opportunity to defame the priest. These people surely do not understand much less believe in the Catholic doctrine about the sacredness of the Holy Eucharist, the presence of God.
Reports also said that several people at the Mass spoke with LifeSiteNews but on condition that their identity remains anonymous.
“I think Father was in a difficult and delicate situation, but he stood firm for what we believe as Catholics,” said one woman in her early 50s. “He showed great humility and great awareness of the situation.”
“This is a total coup. It’s shameful what’s going on,” exclaimed a married man who runs a political podcast online.
“I really liked how the Bishop responded to the situation,” remarked a young man who graduated from nearby Aquinas College. “His statement wasn’t just one-sided and slamming the other. Clearly, Judge Smolenski felt hurt. I think His Excellency showed a good balance of respect and compassion for her and for the truths of our faith. He didn’t give a blanket condemnation. He wanted to reach out.”
The bishop supported Fr. Nolan’s decision, noting how inclusion and acceptance are hallmarks of the Catholic Church but that “no community of faith can sustain the public contradiction of its beliefs by its own members.”
A deacon from Immaculate Heart of Mary Church assisted Fr. Nolan at Mass, as did two other young priests in the area. The deacon told LifeSiteNewsthat he supports Nolan’s “defense of our faith’s teachings.”
In an interview Fr. Nolan explained that he never wanted discussions about who receives or doesn’t receive Communion to be public but that he stands by his actions.
According to LifeSiteNews, the Gospel reading at the Mass of that day was “fittingly enough, Christ telling the apostles they would be handed over to the synagogues and persecuted before kings and governors. Mass-goers chuckled when Fr. (Nolan) began his brief, four-minute-long sermon quasi-joking about how best to preach about the readings. His remarks focused on Mary and how she ‘kept saying yes’ to God. God calls us not to be successful but to be faithful. Whatever else happens Catholics must do the will of God.”
His action should be an example for the priests and Catholics to take the side of the faith rather than compromise with the wiles of the world. How dreadful it is to find some in the clergy and Catholic leaders take the road of compromise. Maybe we can be more generous with the corrupt officials but not a direct insult to the Eucharist.
