Church vs. politicians

last updated 8 January 2015

Englewood, Colo.

The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops last week said that politicians who supported abortion rights were “cooperating in evil.” Several bishops have threatened to deny Communion to any politician who doesn’t oppose abortion, including Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential contender. In a meeting outside Denver, the nation’s bishops stopped short of imposing a nationwide ban, leaving each diocese to determine its own policy. The bishops also reminded all Catholics that they should not ask to receive Communion unless they have shown “fidelity to the moral teaching of the church,” including its opposition to abortion.