Archbishop tells leading pro-abortion politician not to receive Holy Communion

The Archbishop of Kansas City, Joseph Naumann has told Governor Kathleen Sebelius that she should not present herself for Holy Communion until she has publicly repudiated her support for abortion rights. Archbishop Naumann announced this publicly in his diocesan newspaper The Leaven (Governor’s Veto Prompts Pastoral Action)

This is not a rushed action on the part of the Archbishop. He has met with Governor Sebelius several times and written privately to her. As he says:
My concern has been, as a pastor, both for the spiritual well-being of the governor but also for those who have been misled (scandalized) by her very public support for legalized abortion.
He concludes his message:
The spiritually lethal message, communicated by our governor, as well as many other high profile Catholics in public life, has been in effect: “The church’s teaching on abortion is optional!”

I reissue my request of the faithful of the archdiocese to pray for Governor Sebelius. I hope that my request of the governor, not to present herself for holy Communion, will provoke her to reconsider the serious spiritual and moral consequences of her past and present actions. At the same time, I pray this pastoral action on my part will help alert other Catholics to the moral gravity of participating in and/or cooperating with the performance of abortions.
May God bless Archbishop Naumann richly for this outstanding example of prudent and kindly pastoral leadership.

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