BISHOP TELLS PRO-ABORTION CALIFORNIA GOV. NOT TO RECEIVE COMMUNION

SACRAMENTO, California, Jan 23, 03 (CWNews.com) - The bishop of California's capital city has announced that the state's pro-abortion Catholic governor should renounce his pro-abortion views before presenting himself for Communion again.

Bishop William Weigand made the announcement at a Mass on Wednesday, the 30th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that allowed abortion in demand throughout the US. He said that Gov. Gray Davis should refrain from receiving the Eucharist while he continues to hold pro-abortion views.

"As your bishop, I have to say clearly that anyone -- politician or otherwise -- who thinks it is acceptable for a Catholic to be pro-abortion is in very great error, puts his or her soul at risk, and is not in good standing with the church," Bishop Weigand said. "Such a person should have the integrity to acknowledge this and choose of his own volition to abstain from receiving Holy Communion until he has a change of heart."

Bishop Weigand later added that "in general, we do not refuse Communion to anyone; we try to instruct people as to when it would not be appropriate."

A spokesman for Davis said the bishop's pronouncement was "sad" and added that the governor is "proud of the legislation he has signed giving women the right to choose." He also criticized the bishop for "telling the faithful how to practice their faith."

Bishop Weigand said he was inspired by a confrontation before Christmas between Davis and a priest who runs a home for disadvantaged children who told the governor that he wasn't welcome. The bishop said he was also motivated by the recent note from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that enumerated the responsibilities of Catholics involved in politics.

According to the governor's office, Davis and his wife are active Catholics who attend Mass in Southern California.

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