No communion for pro-abortion politicians - cardinal

In remarks that could influence the US presidential race, a top Vatican cardinal said yesterday that a Catholic politician who unambiguously supports abortion should be denied communion at Mass.

Cardinal Francis Arinze spoke amid a debate in the United States over whether Democrat John Kerry should be denied communion, which Catholics believe is the body of Christ, because he supports abortion rights.

At a news conference presenting a Vatican document restating standing rules about the celebration of Mass, Cardinal Arinze was reminded of the Kerry case and asked if a priest should refuse communion to a politician who is unambiguously pro-abortion.

"Yes," he answered. "If the person should not receive it, then it should not be given. Objectively, the answer is there."

Mr Kerry supports abortion rights and has said he would nominate only Supreme Court justices who support his position. Anti-abortion groups in the United States, which is about 23 per cent Catholic, say Mr Kerry has what they have called a "perfect record" of voting for legislation that allows abortion.

He is due to be endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Group, a pro-choice group. Some members of the American Church hierarchy have said they would deny communion to Mr Kerry, who, if elected, will become the first Catholic president since John F. Kennedy in 1960.

The Church teaches that abortion is murder and debate over Mr Kerry's eligibility for communion arose after Archbishop Raymond Burke of St Louis told him not to present himself for communion in the city. Other bishops have given similar warnings.

Frances Kissling, president of the Washington-based Catholics for a Free Choice group, accused the Vatican of not understanding the separation of Church and state.

"It is time for Church leaders to acknowledge that the threat of denying the sacraments to Catholics who disagree with their positions has no basis in Church law. It is both bad politics and bad religion," she said.

Cardinal Arinze, a Nigerian who is head of the Vatican department that establishes regulations on the way the sacraments should be practiced, spoke at a news conference presenting the Vatican document which itself is likely to charge debate over Mr Kerry. The 70-page document makes no specific reference to politicians but turns the screws on practices that have become common in some local churches, such as joint communion services with non-Catholic Christians.