Archbishop defends Harper amid communion controversy

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.

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.  

"I think it's sort of an unfortunate incident," Richard added.

"I'm sure he [Harper] didn't mean any desecration or nothing of the sort. Somehow, the gesture was misunderstood. I think he should have been briefed by the protocol of what has to be done in a Catholic ceremony."

Earlier reports suggested the Catholic Church makes exceptions for non-Catholics receiving communion at special occasions that involve a mix of religious and civic functions.

But Richard said that's not the case.

"They're not supposed to, it's as simple as that," he said. "It's church law. But many people don't know this and they come [to participate] as though it was a gesture of brotherhood, which we can appreciate."

Under church doctrine, it is understood that through the sacrament of the eucharist the wafer offered at communion actually becomes the body of Jesus Christ, a belief that is rejected by Protestants even though they have a similar communion service.

Debate over the significance of Harper's religious faux pas is still attracting national attention as the prime minister prepares to have a private audience with Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday.   

Harper is in Italy to attend a Group of Eight summit in L'Aquila.   

Harper's decision to take part in the sacrament left some observers furious because the video footage does not show the prime minister swallowing the wafer, known as the host.

Msgr. Brian Henneberry, vicar general in the Diocese of Saint John in New Brunswick, has said it was unclear what happened to the wafer, and that it would be scandalous if the prime minister put it in his pocket, as some had suggested.

But a spokesman for the prime minister and at least one witness, Senate Speaker Noel Kinsella, have come forward to say Harper did eat the wafer immediately after he received it.  

Richard said, as far as he is concerned, the matter is closed.

"I'm certainly not pushing this any further. No."