Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden was denied communion at a South Carolina church Sunday because of his abortion advocacy.
Biden, who is a lifelong Catholic, was refused communion at the 9 a.m. mass at Saint Anthony Catholic Church where Father Robert E. Morey serves as pastor.
Morey confirmed with SC Now that Biden was denied the sacrament because of his advocacy for abortion rights.
“Sadly, this past Sunday, I had to refuse Holy Communion to former Vice President Joe Biden,” Morey told the publication Monday. “Holy Communion signifies we are one with God, each other and the Church. Our actions should reflect that. Any public figure who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching.”
The rebuke from Morey comes after Biden publicly objected last Wednesday to a proposal to outlaw abortions in South Carolina after about six weeks of pregnancy, including in cases of rape or incest.
“Let’s be clear, this ban is dangerous and directly violates a woman’s constitutional right to choose. We must stop it. As president, I will codify Roe into federal law and ensure this choice remains between a woman and her doctor,” Biden said in a tweet.