Cardinal Burke Clarifies Eucharistic Teaching – Again

Dear Friend, 

Our faithful supporters may remember that Catholic Action published Cardinal Burke’s book on the worthy reception of the Eucharist on Ash Wednesday of 2023 and sent it to every priest, deacon, and bishop in the United States as part of our campaign to strengthen our clergy in their role as guardians and teachers of the Eucharist. 

Sophia Institute Press then followed up a few months later with a version of the Cardinal’s book entitled, Respecting the Body and Blood of the Lord, which was geared toward the laity. 

I was privileged to add commentaries after each chapter of that book which aimed at applying the Cardinal’s canonical and doctrinal insights to the everyday lives of Catholics in the pews. What a blessing it was for me to collaborate so closely with one of the greatest churchmen of our day—and on one of the most important issues of our day!

The interest in this topic has not abated either, especially since the National Eucharistic Congress in July. Recently, I had the chance to speak with Dr. Marcus Peter of Ave Maria Radio about Cardinal Burke’s book and to explain why I think the book was so necessary in the current climate of dissent and social rancor we are experiencing today. 

I told Dr. Peter that there has been a lot of misunderstanding about the basic reality of the Eucharist and the circumstances whereby Catholics may receive Holy Communion. His Eminence wrote the bookprecisely to clarify the reality of the Church’s teaching against these major distortions, which militate against the entire history of the Church at every level.

Cardinal Burke is in a unique position to explain the canonical, doctrinal, and pastoral bases behind the “worthy reception of Holy Communion,” which is a term that is rooted in St. Paul’s teaching in the First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11. 

As a canon lawyer, a theologian, and a pastor of souls, His Eminence explains with great clarity the key teaching of canon 915 of the Church’s code of canon law, which states succinctly that those who are not in communion with the Church are not to present themselves for Communion without conversion and sacramental confession. 

Having known and worked closely with Cardinal Burke for a quarter of a century, I understand completely why he felt the need to clarify this teaching at this time in our nation’s and our Church’s history. 

We live in a society that has almost totally lost the notion of sin. Today there are public figures who have been given every blessing, ever grace and mercy from their Church throughout their lives and yet still feel permission to openly advocate for policies and practices that are diametrically opposed to the teaching of the Church. 

Their public and aggressive rejection of Church teaching while at the same time daring to call themselves Catholics “in good standing” is a deep scandal which wounds the Church and against which Cardinal Burke raises his voice. 

And when he does so, it is not a punitive measure to punish wayward children, as much as they might deserve it! Rather, it is to be understood as a supreme act of charity for them—and I would add for us—because this fundamental teaching is directed toward their eternal salvation. 

The accusations of those who claim that the Church “weaponizing the Eucharist” against such public sinners are just a smoke screen to hide the real issue, which is their open repudiation of the Faith and the serious scandal created by Catholics in the public forum. 

One of the seven Spiritual Works of Mercy is to admonish sinners, and this is especially the role of bishops who have to confront public figures who are causing scandal.

I have a personal knowledge of how difficult this charitable disciplinary action can be for our clergy, especially our bishops. I mentioned to Dr. Peters that in San Francisco, Abp. Cordileone’s attempts to bring Nancy Pelosi to some sense of decency on this issue are a perfect example of pastoral charity in the line of Cardinal Burke’s teaching. 

The Archbishop attempted behind the scenes for several years to get Mrs. Pelosi to see the scandal she was causing by her extreme abortion position (among other things), but she rebuffed him at every juncture. He even started a campaign to ask people to fast on Fridays for her, yet in her defiance, at one point she just refused to talk to him anymore. 

His Excellency finally had no choice but to publicly announce that she was prohibited from receiving Holy Communion for her obstinate denial of the Faith, a very clear category in canon law.

No good pastor wants to use the rod against a defiant sheep, but every good pastor has a greater loyalty not only to the Eucharist but also to the souls of the rest of his flock who are both led astray and sometimes deeply wounded by the damaging example of a high profile Catholic snubbing her nose so blatantly at Christ and His Church. 

It’s important always to recognize that respect for the Eucharist is not the teaching of Cardinal Burke or Archbishop Cordileone. It truly is the teaching of Christ that is rooted in both Scripture and Tradition and handed down faithfully by the Church from the Apostles. 

In other words, we ourselves would be unfaithful to Christ if we ignored His teaching or pretended that it is somehow optional.

This, of course, is and should be a stimulus to all of us to keep ourselves in communion with the Church and to have regular recourse to the Sacrament of Penance whenever we find ourselves in serious sin. The Church does not expect us to be perfect. The Church expects and insists on deep reverence for the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in the Eucharist, which is the very least that we owe to our Eucharistic Lord who has given us everything we have and are!

Dr. Peters noted at the end of the interview how important it is that we receive good formation in the Catholic faith, especially as regards children, and I wholeheartedly agree. We also must encourage our priests to preach on this essential topic, not only to teach the truth about the Eucharist but also to deepen the sense of sin and repentance in a generation that has gone astray. 

I am once again grateful to Cardinal Burke for his magnificent book on reverence for the Eucharist and to Sophia Press for continuing to make that work available to us.

If you’d like to hear the interview with Dr. Marcus Peter on Ave Maria radio, I’ve provided the link below. The interview was part of a longer show, and my part begins at around the 23-minute mark <[link removed]>. 

Thank you again to all of you for your fidelity to Christ and His Church! 

I remain, 

Yours in Christ and Our Lady,



Thomas McKenna

Founder and President

Catholic Action For Faith And Family
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