Posted on: Saturday, May 15, 2004

Bishop advocates political test

By Robert Weller
Associated Press

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The bishop of Colorado's second-largest Roman Catholic diocese issued a stark warning yesterday, saying voters should not receive Communion if they back politicians who support abortion rights, stem-cell research, euthanasia and gay marriage.

Bishop Michael Sheridan said such voters may receive the sacrament only if they recant and repent in the confessional. While he noted that no one would enforce the rule in the Communion line, Sheridan said Catholics shouldn't simply go to confession and think they can be absolved.

"It might take a public recantation," he said in an interview with The Associated Press. "There is no sin that is unforgivable," but Catholics shouldn't vote for candidates who support abortion rights and "then slip off into the confessional. ... This is a serious or mortal sin, like robbing a local store," he said.

While several U.S. bishops have issued similar warnings to Catholic lawmakers who defy church teaching in their policy-making, Sheridan is believed to be the first to expand that directive to voters this election year.

"He's pushed this farther than any other bishop in the country — much beyond what the other American bishops are doing and whatever has been done in Europe," said the Rev. Thomas Reese, editor of the Jesuit magazine America, who opposes tying Communion to political views.

Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis has said he would not give Communion to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry because the senator backs abortion rights. Archbishop Alfred Hughes of New Orleans and Archbishop Sean O'Malley of Boston also say Catholic politicians who dissent from church teaching should not seek the sacrament.

Sheridan's stance drew sharp criticism from some quarters.

"I think it is an outrageous intrusion into what is supposed to be the separation of church and state. It is frightening," said Michael Merrifield, a Democratic state lawmaker who is not Catholic but represents part of the heavily religious Colorado Springs area. "It goes against everything that we believe is important to democracy since we founded this country."

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has not taken a stand on whether defiant Catholic lawmakers should receive Communion, but he has criticized them, saying they offer a "dishonest public witness."

Several other bishops have said they would not be comfortable denying Communion to Catholic politicians. Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, who met with Kerry recently, told the National Catholic Reporter he would not withhold Communion from the presidential candidate.

"It is up to the communicant to decide whether they are in a state of grace and worthy to receive the Eucharist," Mahony said. "I'm puzzled by people rattling sanctions at the moment. That has not been our tradition over the years."

A special panel of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is developing guidelines for church leaders in their relationships with Catholic lawmakers. It is not clear whether any action will come before Election Day.

Associated Press Religion Writer Rachel Zoll contributed to this report.