MP for Dorking Chris Coghlan claimed on X that he was denied Holy Communion by his priest for voting for the “Assisted Dying” bill. Coghlan claims that he voted for the bill against his Catholic sentiments and he chooses to keep his faith and politics separate.

Coghlan did not just vote for the assisted suicide bill, but also voted to allow babies to be aborted up to birth. We do not need to quote the Summa Theologica to point out that this is monstrous and evil.

Father Ian Vane is the faithful priest who denied Coghlan the Body of Christ, and his choice is consistent with the teaching of the Church. Saint Thomas makes the distinction between secret and notorious sinners on the topic of denying Holy Communion. If the sin is private Holy Communion should not be denied, since it is the right of the baptized to be admitted to the Lord’s table. (ST, III, q. 80, a. 7)

Yet notorious or public sinners can be denied. St. Thomas says that priests can “privately warn the secret sinner, or warn all openly in public”. The reports suggest that Father Vane did both of these. He reportedly wrote to Coghlan and also warned the other members of his parish in his homilies. This is a perfectly reasonable response to a member of his flock who has gone astray in a way both public and scandalous.

I will quote Thomas at length with regards to Coghlan wanting to keep his faith and everyday life separate:

“Thus then it is not necessary for salvation to confess one’s faith at all times and in all places, but in certain places and at certain times, when, namely, by omitting to do so, we would deprive God of due honour, or our neighbour of a service that we ought to render him: for instance, if a man, on being asked about his faith, were to remain silent, so as to make people believe either that he is without faith, or that the faith is false, or so as to turn others away from the faith; for in such cases as these, confession of faith is necessary for salvation.” (ST, II-II, q. 3, a. 2).

We are composites of body and soul, and as such the body must partake in the actions of the soul. This is why it is good to kneel, genuflect, and prostrate as outward bodily symbols of interior devotion. Likewise, we must profess with our tongue that which the heart believes. We cannot believe one way and speak in another. That would be dishonest and a betrayal of our faith. The case is the same when it comes to voting. We can never vote in a way that contradicts our Catholic faith.

Coghlan seems to disagree with St. Thomas Aquinas and the wisdom of the Catholic Church. I hope this rightful refusal to deliver Our Lord up to one whose public actions reek of so much blood. We pray that this confrontation will allow Coghlan to repent publicly of his actions and return once more to the Lord’s table.