Thrice-divorced Rudy Giuliani takes communion

COMBINED NEWS SERVICES

April 20, 2008

NEW YORK - Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a Catholic on his third marriage and a supporter of abortion rights, received Communion at Pope Benedict XVI's Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Giuliani received Holy Communion during yesterday's service from one of the many clergy who offered the sacrament to the nearly 3,000 worshipers.

As he left New York's St. Patrick's Cathedral with his third wife, Judith, the failed presidential candidate confirmed to Reuters news agency that he received Communion from a priest.

Asked if he was uncomfortable with having broken the Church ban on the divorced and remarried receiving Communion, Giuliani said, "No."

Catholics who divorce and remarry without getting an annulment from the church cannot receive communion. Giuliani did receive an annulment after his first marriage.

U.S. clergy tend to leave it to individual parishioners who are divorced to refrain from receiving the sacred rite instead of excluding them.

The former mayor also supports abortion rights, and that raised issues with some Christian Republicans during his failed White House bid.

A few of the more than 250 U.S. bishops have said they would withhold Communion from Catholic lawmakers who support abortion rights. Most American prelates have said parishioners must search their consciences to decide whether they should receive the sacrament.

In October 2007, Archbishop Raymond Burke, of St. Louis, threatened to deny Giuliani Communion due to his past and present support for abortion.