Archbishop defends Canadian PM Harper in communion incident
By CBC News
The Roman Catholic archbishop who administered holy communion to the prime minister last week says he believes Stephen Harper meant no disrespect when he consumed a communion wafer during the funeral of former governor general Romeo LeBlanc.
Prime Minister Harper at former Governor General LeBlanc's funeral in New Brunswick. Andrew Vaughan/CP photo.
Archbishop André Richard, head of the Moncton archdiocese, said Thursday it’s considered “sacrilegious” for non-believers to take part in the rite, but only if it is done to disrespect.
“In the context, it’s obvious that no disrespect was meant, I’m quite sure,” he said in a telephone interview.
Richard said a protocol officer told him before the ceremony that anyone who wanted to take part in communion would signal his or her willingness to do so.
Video of the state funeral in Memramcook, N.B., shows Harper — an evangelical Protestant — reaching out to take the host with his right hand.
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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2009/07/09/harper-communion-wafer-0709.html
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