Bishop’s edict on abortion draws a strong reaction

By Juliet Williams

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE - A Roman Catholic bishop who waded into politics with a decree that lawmakers who support abortion rights can no longer receive Holy Communion has ignited a debate over the separation of church and state.

Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse cited Vatican doctrine, canon law and teachings by the U.S. bishops in an announcement telling diocesan priests to withhold communion from such lawmakers until they  “publicly renounce their support of abortion rights.” This is about as stark a decree to come down against Catholic politicians as we’ve seen in recent history, said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

“The problem with it is that elected officials have to represent people of all faiths and none, and not adhere to one religious demand like the bishops,” he said.

Pope John Paul II appointed Burke, 55, archbishop of St. Louis in December. Burke signed the decree in November, when he still had the authority to do so, but it was not made public until Thursday.

Burke is to be installed in St. Louis on Jan. 26. The Vatican and U.S. bishops have for years urged Catholic legislators to consider their faith when they vote, and a task force of bishops is weighing whether to recommend sanctions for Catholic politicians who support policies contrary to church teachings.

In November, Burke wrote letters to at least three Catholic lawmakers, telling them they risked being forbidden from taking the sacrament by continuing to vote for measures he termed anti-life, including abortion and euthanasia.

Democratic U.S. Rep. David Obey, who received a letter from Burke, said Friday that he respects the sacred oath he took to uphold the U.S. Constitution.

Obey said Burke can instruct him on faith and morals in his private life, but should use ``persuasion, not dictation to affect his political votes.

State Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach, a Democrat who was raised Catholic, expressed a similar view.

“Dictating public policy for people of all faiths by holding sacraments hostage from those who believe does not sound right,” Erpenbach said.

Dan Maguire, a professor of theology at the Jesuit Marquette University in Milwaukee, called Burke a ``fanatic who has embarrassed the Catholic Church by using bullying tactics.

“He is not a theologian and he is making terrible mistakes that have been addressed in theology in the past, Maguire said.” He’s making a fool of himself. And the politicians are absolutely within their Catholic rights to ignore him.

END