The pastor of a South Carolina church refused to give Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden communion Sunday, according to our news partner WPDE.
Biden went to St. Anthony's Catholic Church for mass during a campaign stop in Pee Dee, South Carolina.
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St. Anthony's pastor, Rev. Robert Morey, said he denied communion to Biden because of his stance on abortion.
He said "Any public figure who advocates for abortion places himself or herself outside of Church teaching."
REV. MOREY'S STATEMENT:
"Sadly, this past Sunday, I had to refuse Holy Communion to Former Vice President Joe Biden. 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.
As a priest, it is my responsibility to minister to those souls entrusted to my care, and I must do so even in the most difficult situations. I will keep Mr. Biden in my prayers."
Biden was in South Carolina last weekend for a town hall meeting at a high school in Florence and a criminal justice forum in Columbia.
The Biden campaign declined to comment, saying it was a private matter.
Biden served as President Barack Obama's vice president, becoming the first Catholic to hold the position. He is also the only Catholic among those seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, according to the Winston-Salem Journal.
John F. Kennedy has been the only Catholic to serve as president.
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