SACRAMENTO, February 6, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - California Governor Gray Davis has signaled that he will ignore continued requests by Bishop William K. Weigand of Sacramento for a meeting to discuss a broad range of issues facing church and state, from abortion to poverty and homelessness. Bishop Weigand has made several attempts to meet the governor privately since Davis’ election in 1998 and has been repeatedly rebuffed. Now, a news article expands on Bishop Weigand’s motives and methods in warning the faithful that Catholics may not both support abortion and expect to receive the sacraments. “I’ve always assumed the governor is sincere and in good faith,” Weigand told Catholic News. “In the past ... He’s had clear political purposes in identifying himself as a Catholic and as pro-choice. But abstracting from that, I’ve just assumed that he’s not very well instructed in the faith. ... The governor has been very public on the abortion issue, and anybody in a public position who goes out of their way to wave their Catholic credentials ought to know there are consequences.” Gov. Davis’ official response, through a spokesman, has been: “I’ve been a practicing Catholic for a very long time, and I was raised to believe in the separation between church and state.” The spokesman also ruled out any meeting, because it would “only prolong this debate.” For full CN coverage see: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/20030205.htm For related coverage: CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CONTINUES TO DEFY HIS BISHOP http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/jan/03012805.html