Pro-abortion catholic democrats throwing down the gauntlet already?

From Julia Duin, religion writer, The Washington Times:

On the very day of Archbishop Wuerl’s installation, two of Massachusetts’ most pro-choice Catholics — Kerry and the state’s senior U.S. senator, Ted Kennedy — showed up and sat in the VIP section. Archbishop Wuerl shook their hands as he moved toward the altar. I didn’t see whether Kennedy took Communion, but I know Kerry did because I talked with him immediately afterward. He was there, he said, as a longtime friend of the archbishop’s.

Isn’t it odd that two of the Senate’s most liberal Catholics made time in their schedules to be at the installation Mass while their conservative Republican colleague from Pennsylvania, Sen. Rick Santorum, did not?

Santorum, I heard, had to stay close to his office for a vote. All the same, here were two Democratic senators giving the new archbishop notice that they intend to ignore any move to disenfranchise them from the Eucharist. No one could miss the message. Welcome to Washington, Archbishop. [source]

Picture via LifeSiteNews, which has more on this story.

My opinion? Kerry shouldn't get communion. It's really that simple.

The Catholic Caveman points out CCC #2272: "Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life."

And Thomistic points out Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion: General Principles, by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Paragraphs 5-6 are crystal clear:

5. Regarding the grave sin of abortion or euthanasia, when a person’s formal cooperation becomes manifest (understood, in the case of a Catholic politician, as his consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws), his Pastor should meet with him, instructing him about the Church’s teaching, informing him that he is not to present himself for Holy Communion until he brings to an end the objective situation of sin, and warning him that he will otherwise be denied the Eucharist.

6. When "these precautionary measures have not had their effect or in which they were not possible," and the person in question, with obstinate persistence, still presents himself to receive the Holy Eucharist, "the minister of Holy Communion must refuse to distribute it."

So, either Pietro Sambi (the Apostolic Nuncio who gave Kerry communion) is ignoring this directive or he does not know John Kerry at sight (which would be embarassing considering Sambi's position). And Sambi was right next to Wuerl in the communion line! Argh.