Father Gabriel Burke (no relation to Colm Burke) denied Communion to the Irish politician who represents Cork North Central. The priest reportedly told Burke that he was excommunicated because of his voting record on abortion.
Burke voted in favour of repealing the Republic of Ireland’s Eighth Amendment that protected the right to life of unborn children. Since 2018, abortion has increased by 250% in Ireland, with 10,000 abortions taking place there in 2023.
The Catholic Church sets out specific guidelines regarding how Catholics should prepare to receive Communion. To receive Communion, a Catholic must be in a state of grace, believe in transubstantiation, observe the Eucharistic fast, and, finally, not be under an ecclesiastical censure such as excommunication.
A spokesperson for the diocese in Cork has stated that Burke has not been excommunicated.
The Association of Catholic Priests has criticised Fr. Burke and stated that Communion “should be used in that way”.
However, Fr. Burke has received support online calling him “heroic” and a “real priest”. One person on X (formerly Twitter) said: “Thank you Fr. for standing up for the many children our nation has slaughtered since abortion was legalised.”
Fr. Burke told the outlet Irish Catholic that his actions were “done for the love of the person to show them that their crime of legislating for the killing of babies is so heinous that we can’t give them Communion”.
“Deputy Burke makes himself out to be the victim. The victims are the 49,000 babies who have died since the legislation changed”, Fr Burke added.
SPUC Comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “Many pro-life clergy and lay people are aghast at the death toll from abortion in Ireland since 2018. The decision to deny unborn children their right to life has been disastrous.
“Support for Fr. Burke comes from a deep frustration at the indifference of politicians and institutions towards the unsurprising surge in abortions in Ireland. The radical shift in values in favour of abortion is not supported by all Irish people, and Fr. Burke voices a common concern that should not be underestimated or ignored.”
