"[McCarrick's stance has] been consistent, and it will remain consistent," Susan Gibbs told Cybercast News Service.
The emphasis should be placed on the individual who goes to receive communion rather than on the priest who is administering communion, according to Gibbs.
"[Catholic pro-abortion] politicians should not approach for communion, period. And he would explain that to a politician," she said.
"It's not a change, it's still consistent. The responsibility is on the individual to inform their conscience based on Catholic teaching, to not present themselves for communion if they are not in the proper state - and that applies to all Catholics."
In 2004, McCarrick said he was not "comfortable in denying the Eucharist," a statement that sparked an uproar during the presidential campaign of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), a Catholic who supports abortion rights.
But the churchman's position appeared to have changed when the Catholic News Service reported last week that "Cardinal McCarrick said that if, after dialogue, he had reached an impasse with a Catholic politician who continues to publicly defy church teaching, then that politician should not receive communion."
"Sometimes you have to do it," the report quoted him as saying, adding that "one must clearly, courageously and with love lay out the teaching."
William Donahue of the Catholic League, a Catholic civil rights organization, concurs that there has definitely been a shift since the debate began over two years ago.
"There has been a change," said Donahue. "There's no question that the vector of change is moving towards greater orthodoxy."
While Donahue would have preferred McCarrick to have spoken out earlier, he is pleased that he has done so now.
"Once you're not in the hot seat of having to deal with the flack from all different sides, it becomes a little bit easier for you to take a more principled approach," said Donahue.
"One might have hoped him to have taken that approach a little bit earlier. He didn't, but he has now, and that should be welcomed."
Gibbs stressed that the responsibility is on the individual approaching the altar to receive communion.
"Under Catholic teaching, the responsibility is on the individual Catholic not to present him or herself in communion if they are not in a proper state, and [McCarrick] has been very strong talking about that," she said.
But Donahue noted that after a private audience between a local bishop and the politician in question, the bishop must then take stronger steps out of respect for the sacrament.
"If the politician or the candidate for office says, 'Fine, I've heard what you have to say and I'm not changing,' then it is the duty of the bishop to inform that person that it's in everyone's best interest that you do not present yourself to communion," Donahue argued.
Communion may then be denied "if you're dealing with an obstinate person who's gone through all this and he or she says, 'I don't care I'm still going to communion.'
"According to the pope [Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger at the time], he says you must deny that person communion because at that point there's certainty - there's no ambiguity left - you're really dealing with an act of defiance."
The church's Code of Canon Law states that those participating in any "grave sin" may not receive communion.
"Those who have been excommunicated or interdicted after the imposition or declaration of the penalty and others obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to holy communion," it reads.
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, abortion qualifies as that "manifest grave sin."
"Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law..." the document reads.
Donahue said "the consensus is growing" among bishops on the issue of denying communion to Catholic candidates supportive of abortion rights. The change raises a question, he added.
"What happens to a pro-choice Catholic? This should make those pro-choice Catholics somewhat nervous, because it's not going to wash."
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