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ST. LOUIS — The archbishop of St. Louis, who has said he would deny Holy Communion to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, now says Roman Catholic voters who support abortion rights should go to confession before taking the sacrament.
Archbishop Raymond Burke said Thursday that Catholics cannot vote for candidates or policies in support of abortion and be worthy to receive Communion.
"We always have to remember that it's objectively wrong to vote for a pro-choice politician," Burke told KMOX Radio. "People could be in ignorance of how serious this is."
His remarks came a week after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops adopted a statement warning lawmakers at odds with church teaching that they were "cooperating in evil." The statement left it up to each bishop to decide whether to deny Communion.
In January, Burke drew national attention by saying he would deny Communion to Kerry, a Catholic who supports abortion rights. He was named archbishop of
St. Louis on Dec. 2 and was installed Jan. 26. He previously was bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse.
The issue has polarized Catholics, putting politicians on the defensive and fueling a larger national debate on the proper role of religious leaders in politics.
Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison said he has no plans to deny Communion to local Catholic politicians who support abortion rights, considering it "a last resort."
A task force of U.S. bishops is examining the issue as they adapt for the American church a 2002 Vatican doctrinal document called "Participation of Catholics in Political Life."
