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Joe Biden denied Holy Communion by South Carolina Catholic church over his unclear stance on abortion

The priest at the Florence parish said it is his duty to minister to those entrusted to his care and that he must do so irrespective of the odds.

Earlier this year, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden was found to be making his stand on federal funding for abortion unclear, thanks to flip-flops. The former vice-president, who for decades opposed late-term and partial birth abortions and even backed Republican presidents barring funding for groups that are pro-abortion overseas, has found his position on the issue changing frequently.

In June, Biden said he no longer supported a ban on government’s funding for abortion. But a week earlier, his campaign told NBC News that he supported the Hyde Amendment that prohibits federal funding for abortion in most cases, but that put him at odds with his 2020 Democratic rivals. In his defence, Biden said the anti-abortion moves at the state level made him change his position.

Amid the confusion that what Biden actually thinks on the issue, he was denied Holy Communion in a Catholic church in Florence, South Carolina, on Sunday, October 27, on grounds of being someone who advocates abortion, reports SCNow.com.

Father Robert E Morey from Saint Anthony Catholic Church said he refused the former vice president Holy Communion because of his stand on abortion. Biden, a lifelong Catholic, attended the 9am mass at the church in the state where he is busy with campaigning.

The communion is one of seven sacraments in the Roman Catholic Church. The six others are: baptism, reconciliation, confirmation, marriage, anointing of the sick and holy orders.

“Sadly, this past Sunday, I had to refuse Holy Communion to former Vice President Joe Biden,” Father Morey told SCNow.com via email. “Holy Communion signifies we are one with God, each other and the Church. Our actions should reflect that. Any public figure who advocates abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching.”

He said as a priest, it is his duty to minister to those entrusted to his care and that he must do so irrespective of the odds. He also said he will keep the Democratic candidate in his prayers.

Biden’s campaign did not confirm that he had gone to the church and said if he had done so, it was in private capacity.

While the position of the Catholic church on abortion is that human life must be respected, Biden’s stand on the matter is not clear yet.