As the U.S. bishops were finishing their second day of business at their Nov. 13-16 fall general meeting in Baltimore, they approved a new statement which outlines the preparation needed to receive Communion worthily and says that serious sin is a bar to receiving the Eucharist.

They also:
---Passed a series of guidelines for the pastoral care of homosexual Catholics.

---Approved a document calling married couples to understand and live church teaching on artificial contraception.

---Endorsed the issuance of a statement calling for a "substantive, civil and nonpartisan discussion" leading to "a responsible transition in Iraq."

---Gave their OK to creating a "Directory for Music and the Liturgy" for use in U.S. dioceses, and authorized a revision of the Lectionary for Mass for selected days in Advent.

---Passed their 2007 budget, approved their priorities and plans for 2007 Nov. 14 by a 210-20 vote with three abstentions, and elected Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson as their new secretary.

---Created a nongeographic episcopal region for Eastern-rite bishops, and extended through 2011 a resolution first adopted in 2000 on diocesan financial reporting.

On Communion
Emphasizing that they were addressing all Catholics, and not just politicians or any other group, the U.S. bishops Nov. 14 voted in favor of a document calling on those in a state of serious sin to refrain from receiving Communion. The vote was 201-24, with two abstentions.

An effort to amend the document to specifically name politicians as among those who need to examine their consciences before receiving the Eucharist failed on a voice vote.

Titled "'Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper': On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist," the document says that a Catholic who "knowingly and obstinately" rejects "the defined doctrines of the church" or repudiates "definitive teaching on moral issues" would not be in communion with the church and therefore should not receive Communion.

"All kinds of people don't understand their responsibilities when going to the Eucharist," said Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Doctrine. His committee prepared the document following a request in November 2004 by Archbishop John J. Myers of Newark, N.J., for a statement on how Catholics should prepare to receive the Eucharist.

Archbishop Myers' request came after a presidential campaign in which some bishops had criticized the Democratic candidate, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, and said he and other Catholic politicians who supported abortion should be refused Communion under canon law.

But a footnote to the document says that it is not intended "to provide specific guidelines" to the provision in canon law that says that Catholics "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin" should not be allowed to receive Communion.

In comments to the bishops before the Nov. 14 debate and vote, Bishop Serratelli said the document was intended as a positive message of encouragement to U.S. Catholics.

"To be a Catholic is a challenge and to be a Catholic is to adhere to the church's teachings as handed down by Christ," he said.

The document said all Catholics "should strive to receive holy Communion regularly, gratefully and worthily."

"We may find ourselves in situations, however, where an examination of conscience before God reveals to us that we should refrain from partaking of the body and blood of Christ," the bishops said.

But among the 79 amendments to the document was a warning that everyone "should be cautious when making judgments about whether or not someone else should receive holy Communion."

"In order to receive holy Communion we must be in communion with God and with the church," the document says. "If we are no longer in a state of grace because of mortal sin, we are seriously obliged to refrain from receiving holy Communion until we are reconciled with God and the church."

Among examples of such sin, the document cites "committing murder, including abortion and euthanasia; harboring deliberate hatred of others; (and) sexual abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult, or physical or verbal abuse of others that causes grave physical or psychological harm."

Other "serious violations of the law of love of God and of neighbor" listed in the document included swearing a false oath, missing Mass on Sundays or holy days without a serious reason, "acting in serious disobedience against proper authority," sexual activity "outside the bonds of a valid marriage," stealing, slander or involvement with pornography.

The document criticized those who "give selective assent to the teachings of the church."

But Catholics who have "honest doubt and confusion" about some church teachings "are welcome to partake of holy Communion, as long as they are prayerfully and honestly striving to understand the truth of what the church professes and are taking appropriate steps to resolve their confusion and doubt," the document says.

"If a Catholic in his or her personal or professional life were knowingly and obstinately either to reject or to doubt the defined doctrines of the church or her definitive teaching on moral issues, however, he or she would seriously diminish his or her communion with the church," it added. "Reception of holy Communion in such a situation would not accord with the nature of the eucharistic celebration, so he or she should refrain."

If a person who "is publicly known to have committed serious sin or to have rejected definitive church teaching and is not yet reconciled with the church" receives Communion, it "is likely to cause scandal for others," giving "further reason" for the person to refrain, the bishops said.

The document says Catholics should get ready to receive Communion through both "remote preparation" -- prayer, Scripture reading, frequent confession and other steps --- and "proximate preparation."

The bishops said elements of proximate preparation include maintaining "reverent silence" before Mass begins; refraining from food and drink for an hour before receiving Communion; dressing modestly at Mass; listening attentively to the Scripture readings and homily; and actively participating in the Mass "with our whole hearts and minds and bodies."

The bishops also urged Catholics to make "a reverent bow of the head" before receiving Communion.

"Putting these simple actions into practice will help us to enter more profoundly into the eucharistic celebration, receive holy Communion more worthily, and thus obtain more fully the grace of communion with the risen lord Jesus and with one another," the document says.

It also includes two appendices explaining church teaching on when non-Catholics can receive Communion in a Catholic church and when Catholics are permitted to take Communion at a non-Catholic service.

"When participating as guests in worship services in other Christian communities, Catholics are encouraged to join the community in the shared responses and in the singing of hymns," the document says. "It is not permitted, however, for Catholics to receive communion in other Christian ecclesial communities."

The document also reminds Catholics who join in non-Catholic services on a Sunday that "the obligation to participate in a Catholic Mass still remains."

Non-Catholics are permitted to receive Communion in a Catholic church only if they belong to churches in full communion with the Catholic Church or in cases of "grave necessity" when ministers of their own faith are not available and certain other conditions are met, the appendix says.

On Homosexual Persons
The statement on pastoral care of homosexually inclined persons reiterates church teaching that all homosexual acts are morally wrong but affirms the dignity of those with homosexual inclinations and says that experiencing such an inclination is not in itself sinful.

The bishops approved the statement 194-37 with one abstention, after turning back a motion to send it back to their Committee on Doctrine, which drafted the document, for more consultation and revision. The draft document the bishops received before the meeting was amended heavily before it came to a final vote.

In introducing the document Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli of Paterson, N.J., chairman of the doctrine committee, acknowledged that "there are aspects of our society that make it difficult for people to live according to the church's teaching on sexuality."

He said that cannot deter the church from carrying out its mission to teach the truth and to "promote sound, effective ministry to persons with a homosexual inclination."

The statement is titled "Ministry to Persons with a Homosexual Inclination: Guidelines for Pastoral Care."

"These guidelines are intended to assist bishops in evaluating existing or proposed programs and ministerial efforts (for ministry to those with homosexual inclinations) and to provide direction and guidance for those engaged in this ministry," it says.

The statement says that "a clear understanding of the place of sexuality within God's plan for humanity" is needed to meet the challenges posed by the issue of homosexuality.

"The complementary sexuality of man and woman is a gift from God and ought to be respected as such," it says.

It says the union of man and woman in marriage for the expression of marital love and the procreation and education of children "is the order of nature, an order whose source is ultimately the wisdom of God," and any sexual expression outside marriage "is disordered."

Homosexual acts are "objectively sinful" and "the homosexual inclination is objectively disordered," although "simply having the tendency is not a sin," the statement says.

"It is crucially important to understand that saying a person has a particular inclination that is disordered is not to say that the person as a whole is disordered. ... While the particular inclination to homosexual acts is disordered, the person retains his or her intrinsic human dignity and value," the statement says.

It says ministry to those with a homosexual inclination must be based on sound Catholic moral teaching, which regards any sexual activity outside marriage as sinful.

One of the liveliest debates among the bishops during their discussion of the document was over proposed amendments by Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of St. Louis to praise Courage and Encourage as notable examples of Catholic support programs for homosexuals and their families that are in accord with church teaching.

Courage, which works with people with homosexual inclinations, and Encourage, a support program for their family members, operate on a 12-step program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous and stress chastity as the framework for life for anyone with homosexual inclinations.

Several bishops expressed strong approval of Courage and Encourage, but others noted that there are mixed feelings about the programs among those with homosexual inclinations and among people ministering to them. Those who objected to including those specific references in the text questioned why those programs would be singled out without mentioning numerous other diocesan and parish programs that also operate in accord with church teaching.

The bishops voted down the Burke amendments as insertions in the text of the statement, but they approved adding a footnote which says, "Examples of such ministries whose principles are in accord with church teaching are Courage and Encourage."

In its section on pastoral care the statement condemns "unjust discrimination and harassment" of those with a homosexual inclination and stresses the importance of a parish community that welcomes them as active, participating members. "Persons who experience same-sex attraction and yet are living in accord with church teaching should be encouraged to take an active role in the life of the faith community," it says.

It adds, however, that "the church has a right to deny roles of service to those whose behavior violates her teaching. Such service may seem to condone an immoral lifestyle and may even be an occasion of scandal."

It says catechesis should help Catholics understand the fullness of church teaching on human sexuality and at the same time appreciate the dignity of all people, condemning violence or unjust discrimination toward those with a homosexual inclination.

It says church ministers must not promote or bless homosexual unions.

The church "does not support the adoption of children by same-sex couples," but it should not refuse baptism to such children if there is "a well-founded hope that the children will be brought up in the Catholic religion," it says.

It encourages the formation of support groups for those with homosexual tendencies and their families and emphasizes special pastoral care needs for adolescents experiencing same-sex attractions.

It says the church should be careful to see that church teachings are followed by professionals chosen to provide counseling services to those with a homosexual inclination.

It says other organizations in society that work with those with a homosexual inclination "can be a support --- or a hindrance --- in living a chaste and holy life. Each should be evaluated on its own merits using church teachings as a guide and participation should be encouraged or discouraged accordingly, as appropriate."

Other actions
The Iraq statement was issued in the name of Bishop William S. Skylstad of Spokane, Wash., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "We hope our nation has moved beyond the divisive rhetoric of the recent campaign and the shrill and shallow debate that distorts reality and reduces the options to 'cut and run' versus 'stay the course,'" it said.

The four-page document was prepared by the USCCB Committee on International Policy in collaboration with the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services and the USCCB Administrative Committee, which approved its addition to the agenda of the bishops' meeting Nov. 11.

"The (Bush) administration and the new Congress need to engage in a collaborative dialogue that honestly assesses the situation in Iraq, acknowledges past difficulties and miscalculations, recognizes and builds on positive advances (e.g., broad participation in elections), and reaches agreement on concrete steps to address the serious challenges that lie ahead," Bishop Skylstad said.

The contraception document, "Married Love and the Gift of Life," passed 220-11 with one abstention Nov. 14. It strongly supports natural family planning, saying it "enables couples to cooperate with the body as God designed it," adding that contraception introduces "a false note" that disturbs marital intimacy and contributes to a decline in society's respect for marriage and for life.

The hymn directory, approved 195-21 with five abstentions, is intended to ensure that hymns used at Mass are doctrinally correct and based on Scripture and liturgical texts. The document also includes norms saying that each diocesan bishop is responsible for approving liturgical songs in his diocese. The directory and norms now go to the Vatican for its assent.

In conference elections, Bishop Kicanas was elected 118-116 over Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein of Indianapolis as secretary. The bishops also chose 10 chairmen-elect for their committees.

The bishops approved by a unanimous voice vote the creation of a new episcopal region for the Eastern-rite bishops. They approved the creation of Region XV; the United States is divided into 14 regions for the nation's Latin-rite bishops.

By adding a nongeographic 15th region composed of bishops of the Eastern churches, those bishops would gain a regional representative on the Administrative Committee to replace the committee representative lost with the expected dissolution of their Latin liaison committee as part of a USCCB reorganization process.

In an address to his fellow bishops Nov. 13, Bishop Skylstad criticized the growing "coarseness" in U.S. society, which he said has had its impact on the Catholic Church.

While the nation has had a long history of vigorous, free exchange of ideas, "there is a difference between spirited debate and debasing personal attacks," Bishop Skylstad said. "Today vulgarity is common, hardly noticed. Even the name of God is disrespected in everyday speech." He added, "I would suggest to you that the phenomenon is symptomatic of a growing failure in our society: the lack of respect for one another, to see each other as being made in the image and likeness of God."

Contributing to this roundup were Jerry Filteau, Nancy Frazier O'Brien, George P. Matysek Jr. and Paula Glover in Baltimore.

---CNS