Rudy Giuliani among those attending Mass with Pope
Giuliani received Holy Communion during the service from one of the many clergy who offered the sacrament to the nearly 3,000 worshippers at the event.
Giuliani has been married three times. Catholics who divorce and remarry without getting an annulment from the church cannot receive Communion or other church sacraments. Giuliani did receive an annulment after his first marriage.
The former mayor also supports abortion rights, and that has raised issues with some Christian Republicans during his failed White House bid.
A few of the more than 250
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Giuliani breaks rules by having Communion at papal mass
Sat Apr 19, 2008 2:01pm EDT
By Claudia Parsons
As he left
Asked if he was uncomfortable with having broken the Church ban on the divorced and remarried taking Communion, Giuliani said, "No."
The Church does not recognize divorce and teaches that divorced Catholics are still married to their earlier partner unless the Church grants them an annulment, or ruling that the initial marriage was invalid.
Giuliani unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for the White House this year. As
Despite his Catholic faith, Giuliani has espoused socially liberal political positions such as backing a woman's right to choose an abortion and supporting gay rights.
Last year Pope Benedict reaffirmed that Catholics who divorce and remarry cannot receive Communion unless they abstain from sexual relations with their new partner.
But
At Saturday's Mass, the pope consecrated bread and wine that was distributed to the congregation by other priests. Giuliani did not take Communion from the pope himself.
During the presidential campaign, Giuliani said he had some "very, very strong views on religion" that come from him having wanted to be a priest when he was younger and studying theology for four years in college.
Among other politicians who attended the Mass was current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is Jewish.
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