Robert E. Morey
Robert E. Morey
Robert E. Morey is a priest at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, South Carolina. [1]
Career
Robert E Morey became a Priest at St. Anthony Catholic Church on July 1st 2010. He had already been a priest for 14 years, but before embracing a life of God, Morey had worked as a lawyer the greater part of a decade. He practiced law in North Carolina and went on to work in Washington, D.C., for the Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy.
Denying Communion To Joe Biden
On October 28th 2019, Joe Biden, who was campaigning in the Pee Dee area at the time, attended St. Anthony Catholic Church in Florence, South Carolina and was denied Holy Communion by pastor Robert E. Morey. Morey's refusal was rooted in his disapproval of Biden's stance on abortion. He released a statement that read: [2]
"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."
In the 70's and 80's Joe Biden had a hard stance on abortion. However, in 2019, Biden publicly stated that he could no longer support the Hyde Amendment and his campaign told The Huffington Post: [3]
"State after state, including Georgia, are passing extreme laws in clear violation of the constitutional right protected by Roe ― some going so far as to deny exceptions even for rape and incest. It’s clear these folks will stop at nothing to get rid of Roe ― and it’s clear we have to be just as strong in our defense of it."
Personal Life
Although Morey loves southern cooking, he tries to stay healthy by biking, walking or playing tennis. Morey is firmly grounded in tradition and likes to connect with the past in his priesthood. For example, one of his first moves at St. Anthony Catholic Church was to add a traditional Latin Mass. [4]