LACROSSE, Wis. — Roman Catholic Bishop Raymond Burke of LaCrosse, Wis., has directed his priests not to give communion to politicians who openly support abortion rights.
Burke, who will be installed as archbishop of St. Louis Jan. 26, issued the decree Nov. 23 but did not publicize it until Jan. 8.
It is unclear whether Burke will issue a similar decree in St. Louis, or if Burke’s successor in LaCrosse will be bound by the directive. “Catholic legislators who are members of the faithful of the Diocese of LaCrosse and who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive holy communion,” Burke’s order stated.
Last January, the Vatican issued a similar statement that stopped short of denying politicians the sacrament. “A well-formed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law which contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals,” the document said.
The American Life League, which opposes abortion, has identified 500 pro-choice Catholic politicians and urged that they be denied the sacraments. The group’s president, Judie Brown, called Burke’s decree a “historic first step.”
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