Seattle archbishop won’t withhold communion

SEATTLE – Seattle Roman Catholic Archbishop Alex Brunett said Monday that he would not deny Holy Communion to politicians because of their stances on abortion, the death penalty or other issues.

But Brunett urged Catholic politicians who persist in opposing church policies to voluntarily forgo the sacrament.

“Those who persist in public opposition to Catholic teaching indicate that they are personally denying their communion with the church,” he told a news conference.

Brunett added that priests “should not take it upon themselves to deny Holy Communion to anyone who presents themselves. That would have the result of denying Eucharist participation without due process.”

Last month, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said that lawmakers who consistently support abortion rights or euthanasia were “cooperating in evil,” but that individual bishops could decide whether the politicians should be denied Holy Communion.

The bishops’ work drew national attention after Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis said he would deny Communion to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, a Catholic who supports abortion rights. Other bishops have said Kerry should not attempt to take Communion, but would not be denied the sacrament if he did. Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs, Colo., extended a similar warning to those who vote for Catholic politicians who make policy contrary to church teaching.

Spokane Bishop William Skylstad said he would not deny Kerry or other politicians Communion, saying the sacrament should not be used as a weapon. Bishop Carlos Sevilla of Yakima has not taken a public stand on the issue.

Washington’s three most prominent female politicians – U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Attorney General Christine Gregoire, the Democratic party’s front-runner for the gubernatorial nomination, are all Catholics and longtime advocates of women’s issues, including abortion rights. Murray and Cantwell are also Democrats.

Gregoire campaign spokesman Morton Brilliant said Gregoire is still taking Communion publicly and regularly attends church at St. Michael in Olympia, but Gregoire said she would not discuss her faith further.

Murray said through spokesman Mike Spahn she would not discuss her faith. “Sen. Murray believes strongly in the separation between church and state. Her personal faith and religion will remain just that – personal,” Spahn said.

Cantwell’s office did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

While Brunett said priests should not deny Catholics the Eucharist, he said that he could envision asking a politician or other parishioner to forgo Communion if he or she refused to renounce stances favoring abortion rights or the death penalty; engaged in a homosexual relationship; or opposed other church teachings.