Ottawa's Catholic archbishop says he will refuse communion to any politician who "obstinately" supports access to abortion, but only if he or she cannot be persuaded to stand down.Archbishop Terrence Prendergast made the comment yesterday, expanding on remarks he made at a recent Theology on Tap question-and-answer session at Malone's Lakeside Grill at the Dow's Lake Pavilion.
At the event, an audience member asked if the church should invoke Canon Law 915, which deals with who may or may not receive communion.
He told the crowd: "I think if a bishop is going to involve Canon 915, he has to know (the politicians), and speak with them or have the priest speak with them. Ultimata that come down from on high don't help anybody.
"As a Jesuit principle, I have to put the best possible interpretation on my neighbour's proposition, then speak to him about it, and only then draw the line and say, 'Look, given your stubbornness on this position, I think you should not publicly receive communion until you change your mind'."
Rosemary Ganley, co-ordinator of Catholics for a Free Choice Canada, said Archbishop Prendergast's position is wrong in canon law, and wrong in a country like Canada where church and state are separate.
"This is disappointing in the extreme, and there are many other church leaders in this country who wouldn't go as far as he did on this because they know this position isn't supportable," she said.
Her group is made up of Catholics who support a woman's right to choose and a person's right to use birth control.
She said canon law gives church officials the right to deny sacraments or even excommunicate if people procure or provide abortions, but it is silent on people who support the right to choose.
"There's nothing in there saying he could deny communion to people who are pro-choice," she said.
"So even within the church's own terms, he's on very, very shaky ground." Furthermore, she said Archbishop Prendergast should realize he's in a country with a charter of rights that has been interpreted to protect a woman's right to choose, and that politicians are sworn to uphold the Constitution, which contains the charter.
"Catholic politicians are elected to represent all people, not just Catholics, so it's very inappropriate for a church officials to meddle in the political process like this," she said.
Since his arrival nine months ago, Archbishop Prendergast said he has not met many politicians, but that "when I do get to know them, I will discuss it."
Ottawa South Liberal MP David McGuinty is a Catholic and a brother of Ontario's premier, who is also Catholic. Both are pro-choice, as are many Canadian politicians. He said the archbishop hasn't been in contact with him, but if he does call, he'd be delighted to sit down and discuss the issue.
Mr. McGuinty said he comes from a long line of Catholic politicians who have been able to be pro-choice while remaining true to their religion.
"I long ago reconciled my public duties and responsibilities with my faith. I, like many politicians, keep those things separate," he said. "I don't just represent Roman Catholics. I don't just represent people of any faith for that matter." The archbishop doesn't buy the view of many elected officials who believe they must represent their constituents' point of view, not their own.
"There needs to be a balance," he said. "At least bring (Catholic values) into the equation.
"At the end of the line, I would have to say, 'Don't pretend you're in community with the Catholic Church, because that's what communion is, a coming together.' I think somebody has to come out and say that." Canada is one of the few nations with no federal law on abortion, relying on a 1988 Supreme Court ruling that struck down a law that only allowed abortions if the mother's health was endangered.
The court said the old law was so restrictive it violated women's Charter rights. Since then, most governments, including Stephen Harper's, have been reluctant to reopen the debate.
Archbishop Prendergast's stance is not new, nor is his willingness to engage Catholic politicians on the issues.
During the 2004 election, his predecessor, Marcel Gervais, spoke to then-prime minister Paul Martin about the conflict between his Catholicism and his stand on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage, both of which Mr. Martin supports.
In 2001, Calgary Bishop Frederick Henry chastised former prime minister Jean Chrétien and opposition leader Joe Clark for their pro-choice stand. Last year, Pope Benedict XVI said recalcitrant leaders ought to be excommunicated.
Ms. Ganley said all of these incidents show her church's failure to grasp the appropriate role it should be playing in public life.
"This kind of thing is eroding the church's credibility," she said. "It's threatening, it's damaging, and the church shouldn't be playing politics."
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