Bishops to review draft document on receiving Communion

From CNS:

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A Catholic who "knowingly and obstinately" rejects "the defined doctrines of the church" or its "definitive teaching on moral issues" should refrain from receiving Communion, according to a document that will come before the U.S. bishops at their Nov. 13-16 fall general meeting in Baltimore.

The document, "'Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper': On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist," requires the approval of two-thirds of the members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for passage.

...

Archbishop Myers' request [for a statement on how Catholics should prepare to receive the Eucharist] came after a presidential campaign in which some bishops had criticized the Democratic candidate, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, and said he and other Catholic politicians who supported abortion should be refused Communion under canon law.

But a footnote to the draft says that it is not intended "to provide specific guidelines" to the provision in canon law that says that Catholics "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin" should not be allowed to receive Communion.

...

If a person who "is publicly known to have committed serious sin or to have rejected definitive church teaching and is not yet reconciled with the church" receives Communion, it could be "a cause of scandal for others," giving "further reason" for the person to refrain, the bishops said. [More...]

Is this document trying to solve the problems surrounding inappropriate reception of Communion by leaving the issue to the conscience of the person receiving it instead of the priest distributing it?

I agree that a document on the proper reception of the Eucharist is a good thing, but I don't think it addresses the many people (especially pro-abortion Catholics) who will continue to receive the Eucharist regardless of official Church teaching, let alone a document like this issued by the USCCB.

Does it give these people even less excuse to ignore Church teaching on the proper reception of Communion? Probably. I guess that's something.

Update: CNA adds a little more ... "According to CNA sources, many bishops hope this document will assist in establishing common practices for all U.S. bishops in regards to the distribution of Holy Communion such politicians." [sic]

Typo aside, I think CNA is claiming that this document is a first step towards addressing the problem in a unified, consistent way. Hopefully.