[2] In 2008, a minority of American bishops supported denying communion to pro-abortion rights Catholic legislators, interpreting canon 915 as justifying such action.
[15] During a special election for the California Senate, Pro-abortion rights Catholic Lucy Killea was barred from communion by Leo Thomas Maher, then bishop of San Diego.
[21] In January 2003, Bishop William Weigand of Sacramento said Governor of California Gray Davis, a Catholic who supported abortion rights, should stop receiving communion.
[14][22] Kerry's own Archbishop Sean O'Malley refused to specify the applicability of his earlier statement that such Catholics are in a state of grave sin and cannot properly receive communion.
[26] In February 2007, as emerged two and a half years later, Bishop Thomas Tobin asked Representative Patrick Kennedy not to take communion because of his position on abortion.
[33] On January 21, 2021, one day after his inauguration as president, Biden received communion from the hands of the archbishop of Washington, DC, Cardinal Wilton Daniel Gregory.
[34] In October of the same year, Biden stated that during a meeting with pope Francis, "We just talked about the fact he was happy that I was a good Catholic and I should keep receiving Communion".
Cervantes had cosponsored legislation to repeal New Mexico's dormant ban on abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or the life of the mother was in danger.
[36] On 20 May 2022 Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of the San Francisco archdiocese wrote in a public notice that Nancy Pelosi would be refused the Holy Communion due to her position on abortion.
[2] In January 2001, Pope John Paul II gave Communion to Mayor of Rome Francesco Rutelli, whose position is that of being "personally opposed to abortion, but not willing to impose his stance through law".
[41] While the Oireachtas was debating the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013, which provided for abortion in limited cases, members of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference expressed differing positions.
[43] In July 2024, Colm Burke was refused communion during the funeral Mass of a constituent in Whitechurch by a curate who cited Eamon Martin's statement on excommunication.
Pope John Paul II gave communion to Tony Blair, at the time both a pro-abortion-rights politician and an Anglican,[46][47] as well as to Rome Mayor Francesco Rutelli.
[48] At a Mass in St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City in 2008 celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI, pro-abortion-rights Catholic politicians Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, and Rudy Giuliani received the sacrament.
[50] In May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI expressed support for the Mexican bishops' envisaged excommunication of politicians who had voted to legalize abortion in Mexico City.
[55][56][57] That was the result of a misunderstanding and the secretary-general of the conference of bishops later said that the penalty of automatic excommunication applies to those who are directly involved in an abortion, "which does not include those who vote for a law that allows it.