Cardinal McCarrick says Kerry taking communion is “an issue”

Washington D.C., Apr 11, 2004 / 22:00 pm

While Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry received Holy Communion to mark Easter at the Paulist Center in Boston, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick said in an interview that the contradiction between Kerry’s Catholicism and his views on abortion, stem cell research and homosexuality is “an issue.”

Cardinal McCarrick is heading a bishops’ task force that is studying how to handle Catholic politicians who defy church doctrine. Some bishops have suggested denying communion to them.

During an interview with Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday, Cardinal McCarrick said that as a Catholic, Kerry “certainly should follow the teachings of the church. The teachings of the church sometimes give the impression that they don't come from God. We believe that what we proclaim is what the gospel proclaims.”

The Archbishop of Washington D.C. said that “it is fair that some bishops are critical of him, because each bishop makes his own decision. Certainly, I think we all would be critical of anyone who did not agree with us.”

The Cardinal also said that before considering denying Communion to Kerry, “I would want to get to talk to him, get to see him and get to understand him before I would make a decision like that.”

When Wallace asked the Cardinal, “So you're saying it's an issue?,” he responded: “Oh, I'm saying it's an issue, yes. These things (inaudible) because this is the teaching of the church. So it has to be an issue.”