Catholic Church proves that being anti-abortion is not synonymous with being pro-life!

Just when you thought it was safe to give the Roman Catholic Church the benefit of the doubt, it once again has given believers and non-believers yet another reason to ask: “What the f***?”

A Roman Catholic diocese in England has, believe it or not, turned away a seven year old boy from his first Communion. Why? Is the boy a hoodlum? Is he the Omen? No, nothing like that. In fact it's all very simple really. He was denied his first Communion because he has Down's syndrome!

According to the BBC News, a letter sent to the boy's parents claimed that their son, “had "limited concentration" and was not prepared for the experience.” And in a later television broadcast (which can be viewed on the Huffington Post) a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Leeds kept telling the boy's mother that she needed to do everything in her power to “meet his learning needs” before he would be allowed to partake. Talk about blaming the victim! "Your kid has Down's syndrome -- but if you were a better Catholic, teacher, and mother, someday he may be allowed to partake of the body and blood of Jesus Christ." How nice!

Many people have come to the defense of the Church and argued that this is normal procedure for dealing with anyone who doesn't understand the Catholic faith. According to these people's interpretation of the Catholic faith, one cannot partake of Communion until one understands what it is one is doing in the act of partaking. Of course this raises a problem. Just how many seven year olds actually understand the complex philosophical explanation of the Eucharist known as transubstantiation? How many adults understand it? Oh, that's right – practically none of them! Is "understanding" the faith now the criteria for determining who can and cannot become full fledged members of the Church?

What others have found so unbelievably hypocritical about the parish priest's position – which by the way, is fully supported by the Diocese of Leeds itself – is that the Roman Catholic Church is supposedly “pro-life.” Church leadership rails against abortion, threatens political leaders who are pro-choice with excommunication, and is even against contraception. In current American politics, we even have a presidential candidate named Rick Santorum who once promised to repeal all federal funding of contraception, and even claimed that states should have the right to outlaw contraception. And guess what? Santorum just happens to be a member of the Roman Catholic Church. The same Roman Catholic Church which just told a seven year old boy with Down's syndrome to buzz off, because Jesus doesn't tolerate inattentive and unprepared Church goers who don't have the mental capacity to “understand” or “enjoy” their time in Church.

Of course, if that is now the Church's standard in determining one's “worthiness” of receiving Communion I have to ask just why is the Church allowing anyone to partake of Communion? I also must ask why does this one diocese feel this way, when in fact all of the Eastern Rite Catholics (along with the Eastern Orthodox) allow infants to receive Communion? Do infants have more understanding than this seven year old boy? Hardly.

The parent's have accused the Church of discrimination and to be honest, I don't know what else to call such an unmerciful act. Perhaps, spiritual abuse? Maybe evil? Or as some have argued, merciful for not indoctrinating a kid into a faith which still allows such medieval thinking? I really don't know. Obviously this is just one diocese in one country, but it is still disturbing, especially to those of us who have watched the TV interview and seen a boy who, though disabled, really loves life -- is he inattentive? Sure! Did it even look like he wanted to moon the camera? Perhaps. But then life should be joyous and a bit silly -- especially when you're seven!

If religious people stopped worrying about being "anti-abortion" and even anti-contraception (like Rick Santorum) and started being pro-life in the same manner in which this boy is, perhaps Christianity would begin to regain a bit of the credibility which it has lost due to its past insanity and wickedness. Of course, that would mean Christians would have to stop worrying about man made regulations, doctrines, and even certain Biblical texts and admit that the Church makes mistakes. Will Christian do this? Nah, its just easier to prevent handicapped children from taking Communion and then justify one's evil actions in one's own eyes!