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US Bishop: It is a grave sin to Vote for Pro-Abortion and Pro-Homosexual Marriage Politicians

Pro-abortion politicians and those who vote for them may not receive communion

COLORADO SPRINGS, May 14, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The recent trend of Bishops speaking out with strength on the responsibilities of Catholic politicians continues in the United States. Bishop Michael J. Sheridan Colorado Springs has just raised the bar even further by emphatically stating that Catholics may not vote for pro-abortion or pro-homosexual marriage politicians.

"Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem cell research or for any form of euthanasia ipso facto place themselves outside full communion with the Church and so jeopardize their salvation. Any Catholics who vote for candidates who stand for abortion, illicit stem cell research or euthanasia suffer the same fateful consequences. It is for this reason that these Catholics, whether candidates for office or those who would vote for them, may not receive Holy Communion until they have recanted their positions and been reconciled with God and the Church in the Sacrament of Penance."

The Bishop noted that while there may be many issues to consider when voting, the right to life "trumps all other issues."

Turning to the "deviancy" of "same-sex marriage" the Bishop made the same points to Catholic politicians and Catholic voters. "As in the matter of abortion, any Catholic politician who would promote so-called 'same-sex marriage' and any Catholic who would vote for that political candidate place themselves outside the full communion of the Church and may not receive Holy Communion until they have recanted their positions and been reconciled by the Sacrament of Penance."

Concluding, Bishop Sheridan calls Catholics to pray for "those politicians who claim to be Catholic yet continue to oppose the law of God" and also affirms his "brother bishops who have proclaimed the truth of these critical matters and who have admonished those Catholic politicians who place themselves at odds with the truth of God."

To read the full letter of Bishop Sheridan:
http://www.diocesecs.org/bishopsOffice/PastoralLetterMay2004.pdf

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