St. Louis prelate says voting for candidate who backs abortion a sin

Published: 2004-06-29

ST. LOUIS (CNS) -- St. Louis Archbishop Raymond L. Burke will issue a pastoral letter following his comments in a radio interview that Catholics commit a mortal sin by knowingly voting for a candidate who advocates abortion. "It is a serious sin," Archbishop Burke told The St. Louis Review, newspaper of the St. Louis Archdiocese. He added that a person who voted that way could receive Communion only after a "true repentance" and obtaining absolution by going to confession. "It's not right to support candidates who are for abortion," he added. The archbishop was in Rome to receive the pallium June 29. The pallium is a circular white band of wool that symbolizes an archbishop's authority and his unity with the pope. Issuing a pastoral letter will fulfill an earlier promise to address the voting issue, Archbishop Burke said. "It is not a matter -- as in the case of politicians whose positions are public -- of denying Communion to voters who support pro-abortion candidates," the archbishop said. "But Catholics who support such pro-abortion candidates participate in a grave evil. They must show a change of heart and be sacramentally reconciled or refrain from receiving holy Communion."

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