Church in the World

Mexico?s president barred from Holy Communion

Americas

Vicente Fox Quesada, Mexico?s first openly Catholic president in more than a hundred years, can no longer receive Holy Communion after he married his spokeswoman, Martha Sahag?n Jim?nez, in a civil ceremony on 2 July. Both Fox, who is 59, and Sahag?n, who is 48, are divorced, and have children. Although it is not clear whether Fox and his new wife have applied for an annulment, the Vatican says there is no record of the president having had his first marriage annulled.

When he was sworn in at the end of last year, Fox broke a national taboo by praying at the national shrine of the Virgin of Guadelupe (The Tablet, 16 December 2000). Critics say that after making so much of his Catholic values during the election campaign, Fox now leaves himself open to the charge of hypocrisy. But the president was facing growing criticism from Mexicans over living with Sahag?n without marrying her.

The Archbishop Primate of Mexico, Cardinal Norberto Rivera, told reporters that Fox and Sahag?n were not excommunicated. 'But as long as they are not married in the Church they cannot take Communion', he said, adding that he would continue to receive them with love. A statement from the archdiocese of Mexico later explained that the bar from the Eucharist is 'in no sense punitive' but expresses 'an objective situation'. This situation 'objectively contradicts the union between Christ and his Church, which is both signified and made real in the Eucharist', it said.

Last Sunday, Fox and his wife appeared in public for the first time, and attended Mass as normal. His foreign secretary, Jorge Casta?eda, announced on Monday that the president would be meeting the Pope in October.