Ask the Children

Mary Kochan

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Cardinal Arinze has done it again. Back in February he was a guest on EWTN’s World Over Live, with Raymond Arroyo and was asked his response to the question of whether a Catholic politician who supports abortion publicly should be permitted receive Communion.

The cardinal said: “Do you need any cardinal from the Vatican to answer that?… Simple, ask the children for First Communion, they'll give you the answer.”

Then, in an interview published November 12th by Inside the Vatican, the cardinal brought up the children again in reference to the same question. “Do you really need a cardinal from the Vatican to answer that question? Can a child having made his First Communion not answer that question? Is it really so complicated? The child will give the correct answer immediately, unless he is conditioned by political correctness. It is a pity cardinals have to be asked such questions."

I have wondered why the cardinal keeps referencing the children like that and I think I may have found the answer.

A friend of mine, a divorced woman in her thirties and mother to two young elementary-age children, has found herself in what we delicately used to call “a family way.” The male half of the equation pressured her to have an abortion — something out of the question for her — and now sullenly awaits support bills. His role, if any, in the future of the gestating child, is still unknown. Suffice it to say that in most people’s minds this would qualify as a crisis pregnancy.

But not to the woman’s children. “Our mom is having a baby!” they delightedly announced to me at the occasion of a recent visit. They are too young to consider all the complexities of finances and child support. Even the fact that this child’s father might be anyone other than their own absent dad does not occur to their innocent minds, dwelling as they do in that blessed time that Catholic psychology calls the latency period. It is clear that to them a new baby in the family is an unqualified good.

And unqualifiedly a real person. A brother or a sister — they don’t know which yet. But real nonetheless, as real as their very own selves, valuable and welcomed and loved — already loved! — just because… well just because it is a baby and what else would you do with a baby other than welcome and love it, duh? To them there is no downside in having a new baby in the family.

So, how might such innocent children even be asked about the politicians and Communion issue? Perhaps like this: “Should we allow people who want to let babies be killed receive the Eucharist, or should we put them in time out until they stop wanting to let babies to be killed?”

Become as this young child, our Lord said.

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• © Copyright 2005 Catholic Exchange

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• Mary Kochan, Senior Editor of Catholic Exchange, was raised as a third-generation Jehovah’s Witness. She is a member of St. Theresa parish in Douglasville, Georgia, and she is homeschooling two of her grandchildren. Her tapes are available from Saint Joseph Communications.