Confessional

    

DENVER -- The head of Colorado's second-largest Roman Catholic diocese says he will deny Communion to Catholics who vote for politicians who support abortion rights, stem-cell research, euthanasia and gay marriage.

In one of the strongest statements yet from a U.S. bishop in the debate over how faith should influence Catholics in this election year, Bishop Michael Sheridan of Colorado Springs said Communion will be allowed only for such voters if they recant and repent in the confessional.

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The bishop's stance drew sharp criticism from some quarters.

"I think it is an outrageous intrusion into what is supposed to be the separation of church and state. It is frightening," said Michael Merrifield, a Democratic state lawmaker who is not Catholic but represents part of the heavily religious Colorado Springs area. "It goes against everything that we believe is important to democracy since we founded this country."

In his letter, Sheridan said the separation of church and state does not mean the "well-formed consciences of religious people should not be brought to bear on their political choices."

"There must be no confusion in these matters," he wrote. "Any Catholic politicians who advocate for abortion, for illicit stem cell research or for any form of euthanasia ipso facto place themselves outside full communion with the church."

He did not mention the death penalty, which also contradicts church doctrine but has majority support among politicians.

Sheridan did not immediately return a call Friday, but he told The Denver Post he singled out abortion and the other topics because they are "intrinsically evil." He also decried same-sex marriage as deviant behavior.

Sheridan said some Catholics have challenged him to extend his list to include the death penalty or the war with Iraq. Sheridan said he doesn't believe those matters carry the same weight, though he plans to write another letter on the war.

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