Archbishop urges lawmakers to vote in accord with church teaching

Published: 2003-12-09

LA CROSSE, Wis. (CNS) -- In response to persistent questioning about letters he sent warning Catholic lawmakers of the spiritual dangers of their votes against human life, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke remained firm that he had done the right thing. "It is my duty as bishop to present the church's teaching," said the prelate, who sent the letters as head of the La Crosse Diocese. On Dec. 2 he was named to head the St. Louis Archdiocese. He said the letters were written with the recipients' spiritual welfare in mind. "I would be less than faithful as their spiritual leader were I not to do as much. I know this has been construed as a form of electioneering, but I can tell you it was not that at all," he said at a news conference Dec. 5 at Holy Cross Diocesan Center. The news conference was organized upon his return to La Crosse to discuss his appointment by Pope John Paul II as the eighth archbishop of St. Louis. He was in St. Louis when the appointment was announced. On Dec. 4, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel daily newspaper broke the story that Archbishop Burke had sent the letters to three Catholic legislators: state Sen. Julie Lassa, another unnamed Wisconsin state lawmaker and an unnamed U.S. congressman.

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