Advertisement
It's an act some worry will hurt the future of Catholics in politics.
"I just don't know where this will go, and, frankly, I'm shocked by it," said La Crosse Mayor John Medinger, who describes himself as an active Catholic.
"If they're going to tell Catholic politicians if they vote in a certain way, are they also going to say that Catholics have to vote for certain politicians or they can't receive the sacraments," he said. "I just think it's very dangerous ice they're walking on."
The diocese on Thursday made public a pastoral letter signed in November by Burke advising Catholics in the diocese of their political responsibility in upholding human life and also his notice ordering parish priests to withhold Communion to Catholic legislators who support abortion or euthanasia.
The release of the two documents follows news reports last month that Burke had sent private letters to three Catholic legislators in the diocese warning them of danger to their spiritual health if they support abortion rights.
According to an article in Thursday's diocesan newspaper, the Catholic Times, Burke said the need for the documents became clear to him after the legislators turned down his offers for private meetings and indicated they did not intend to change how they voted.
"After several exchanges of letters, it became clear in all three cases that there was no willingness to conform to the teaching of the church," Burke said. "So the notification became a necessity in order that the faithful of the diocese not be scandalized, thinking that it is acceptable for a devout Catholic to also be pro-abortion."
The La Crosse area has no Catholic legislators, but Medinger said he was troubled by the bishop's actions.
Medinger said he worries that the action might mean that fewer Catholics will run for public office, and if they do run, non-Catholic voters will be unwilling to vote for them because of concerns that the Catholic politician will listen to the church rather than constituents.
"It seems like we fought this battle when John Kennedy was president," Medinger said.
"I love the Catholic church, but I also take an oath of office to uphold the Constitution. ... I think the Constitution is also a powerful document that we are sworn to uphold."
Medinger said he read the Catholic Times article and the canonical notice about withholding Communion from politicians who refuse to follow church teaching on any issue.
"What is the role of an individual to work within the realm of his own conscience?" he asked.
Both documents were signed Nov. 23 before Burke's appointment Dec. 2 as archbishop of St. Louis. Burke is to be installed in St. Louis on Jan. 26.
Rose Hammes, director of communications for the La Crosse diocese, said the decree is binding on priests.
She also said the bishop's decree serves to remind all Catholics that the church has teachings they should abide by. For example, she said, women using birth control should also "not in good conscience" receive Communion if they consider themselves a Catholic in good faith.
State Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, who received a letter from Burke, issued a statement Thursday night reiterating her position that she would not let religion decide how she served her constituents.
"I hold Bishop Burke in high regard; however, I believe any effort to pressure legislators by threatening to deny them the sacraments is contrary to the principles of democracy," she said.
In a statement last month, U.S. Rep. David Obey, a Democrat from Wausau, said he respects the effort of the bishop and any other clergy member to try to influence him through advocacy and reason.
"The votes I cast are driven by my own independent judgment and conscience, not by a set of marching orders given by any church hierarchy, prelate or associated lobby group," Obey said.
Exactly how many Catholic legislators live in the diocese was unknown, said Arthur Hippler, the diocese's director of the office of justice and peace.
Judie Brown, president of the Washington, D.C.-based American Life League, praised Burke for using his authority to deal with a "grave public scandal" and called his move a "historic first step forward in dealing with the problem of pro-abortion Catholic political figures."
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
On the Net:
Catholic Diocese of La Crosse:
www.dioceseoflacrosse.com
www.catholic-times.org.
Gayda Hollnagel can be reached at ghollnagel@lacrossetribune.com or (608) 791-8224.
