KC Archbishop Tells Gov Sebelius She Shouldn't Receive Communion Because of Abortion Policy
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas chastised Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for her veto of the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act and said Sebelius should stop taking Communion until she repudiates her support for the “serious moral evil” of abortion. Sebelius says she is a Roman Catholic but has one of the most radical pro-abortion agendas in the nation.
Archbishop Naumann’s comments were published in the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, the Leaven.
There is speculation that Gov. Sebelius tops Barack Obama’s vice-presidential list..and wouldn’t that be an interesting ticket? Essentially America’s two top Democrats running for president and VP have massive church problems. They are both so far left leaning it would alienate pro-life Democrats and moderates.
The bill which Sebelius vetoed required abortion providers to keep written records of abortions, including information on why late term abortions were performed. Sebelius supports partial birth abortion and opposed this stipulation in the bill.
Sebelius also accepted campaign contributions from Wichita’s infamous late-term abortion doctor George Tiller, who professes to have performed over 60,000 abortions with an area of expertise in late term abortions. Kansas restricts abortions after 22 weeks of gestation yet Tiller has performed thousands of late term illegal abortions. He is known to have aborted the babies of pre-teen girls as young as 10 years old. In addition to Dr. Tiller’s direct donations to her campaign, Governor Sebelius has benefited from the Political Action Committees funded by Dr. Tiller to support pro-abortion candidates in Kansas.
Archbishop Naumann’s letter is HERE:
Governor’s Veto Prompts Pastoral Action
by Archbishop Naumann
On the day of my return (Monday, April 21) from the exhilarating experience of participating in Pope Benedict’s pastoral visit to the United States, I learned that Governor Kathleen Sebelius had vetoed the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act (HS SB 389), which had been passed by significant majorities in both chambers of the Kansas Legislature. Last week, an attempt to override the governor’s veto failed in the Senate by two votes.
Governor Sebelius in her veto message claimed: “For years, the people of Kansas have asked their elected officials to move beyond legislative debates on issues like abortion.” From her veto message, I received the impression the governor considered it a waste of the Legislature’s time to pass a statute that attempts to protect some women by making certain they have the opportunity to be well-informed: 1) about the development of their unborn child; and 2) about abortion alternatives available to them. Evidently, the governor does not approve of legislators devoting energy to protecting children and women by making it possible to enforce existing Kansas laws regulating late-term abortions.
The governor’s veto message demonstrated a lack of respect to the members of the Kansas General Assembly who had carefully crafted and resoundingly passed the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act, as well as to the many Kansans who find it more than an embarrassment, in no small part due to several previous vetoes by Governor Sebelius of earlier legislative efforts to regulate abortion clinics, that Kansas has become infamous for being the late-term abortion center for the Midwest.
What makes the governor’s rhetoric and actions even more troubling has been her acceptance of campaign contributions from Wichita’s Dr. George Tiller, perhaps the most notorious late-term abortionist in the nation. In addition to Dr. Tiller’s direct donations to her campaign, the governor has benefited from the Political Action Committees funded by Dr. Tiller to support pro-abortion candidates in Kansas.
In her veto message, the governor took credit for lower abortion rates in Kansas, citing her support for “adoption incentives, extended health services for pregnant women, providing sex education and offering a variety of support services for families.” Indeed, the governor and her administration should be commended for supporting adoption incentives and health services for pregnant women.
However, the governor overreaches by assuming credit for declining abortion rates in Kansas. Actually, lower abortion rates are part of a national trend. Our neighboring state of Missouri has actually had a steeper and longer decline in its abortion rate.
Governor Sebelius’ inclusion of public school sex education programs as a factor in the abortion rate decline is absurd. Actually, valueless sex education programs in public schools have been around for years, coinciding with increased sexual activity among adolescents, as well as increases in teen pregnancy and abortion. On the other hand, the governor does not acknowledge the significant impact of mass media education programs, such as those sponsored by the Vitae Caring Foundation, or the remarkable practical assistance provided by Crisis Pregnancy Centers which are funded through the generosity of pro-life Kansans.
What makes the governor’s actions and advocacy for legalized abortion, throughout her public career, even more painful for me is that she is Catholic. Sadly, Governor Sebelius is not unique in being a Catholic politician supporting legalized abortion.
Since becoming archbishop, I have met with Governor Sebelius several times over many months to discuss with her the grave spiritual and moral consequences of her public actions by which she has cooperated in the procurement of abortions performed in Kansas. My concern has been, as a pastor, both for the spiritual well-being of the governor but also for those who have been misled (scandalized) by her very public support for legalized abortion.
It has been my hope that through this dialogue the governor would come to understand her obligation: 1) to take the difficult political step, but necessary moral step, of repudiating her past actions in support of legalized abortion; and 2) in the future would use her exceptional leadership abilities to develop public policies extending the maximum legal protection possible to the unborn children of Kansas.
Having made every effort to inform and to persuade Governor Sebelius and after consultation with Bishop Ron Gilmore (Dodge City), Bishop Paul Coakley (Salina) and Bishop Michael Jackels (Wichita), I wrote the governor last August requesting that she refrain from presenting herself for reception of the Eucharist until she had acknowledged the error of her past positions, made a worthy sacramental confession and taken the necessary steps for amendment of her life which would include a public repudiation of her previous efforts and actions in support of laws and policies sanctioning abortion.
Recently, it came to my attention that the governor had received holy Communion at one of our parishes. I have written to her again, asking her to respect my previous request and not require from me any additional pastoral actions.
The governor has spoken to me on more than one occasion about her obligation to uphold state and federal laws and court decisions. I have asked her to show a similar sense of obligation to honor divine law and the laws, teaching and legitimate authority within the church.
I have not made lightly this request of Governor Sebelius, but only after much prayer and reflection. The spiritually lethal message, communicated by our governor, as well as many other high profile Catholics in public life, has been in effect: “The church’s teaching on abortion is optional!”
I reissue my request of the faithful of the archdiocese to pray for Governor Sebelius. I hope that my request of the governor, not to present herself for holy Communion, will provoke her to reconsider the serious spiritual and moral consequences of her past and present actions. At the same time, I pray this pastoral action on my part will help alert other Catholics to the moral gravity of participating in and/or cooperating with the performance of abortions.
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Amy Proctor
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Good for the KC Bishop! I think another Bishop or priest banned John Kerry from doing the same...or maybe it was just a warning??? Do you remember the Bill Clinton incident where he took communion at a Catholic Church? What an insult to Catholicism...
Sebelius says she is a Roman Catholic but has one of the most radical pro-abortion agendas in the nation.
How are you quantifying this? Please offer the criteria. Otherwise this is just hyperbolic boilerplate.
By the way, it's not pro-abortion, and you know it. It's allowing the woman to have that choice. She's not demanding abortions; she's simply not outlawing them. Not surprising that this importance nuance is ignored.
By your measure, you're pro-innocent children deaths becuase you support the war in Iraq. See how that rhetorical trick works?
The Christian faith teaches that taking communion in an unworthy manner, including not being in good standing with basic doctrines, brings condemnation on that person. Sebelius certainly falls into this category. It is out of pastoral concern Archbishop Naumann has written to her several times to avoid communion for the sake of her soul.
Bravo for men like the archbishop who have the audacity to uphold the sanctity of life and Church teaching. Imagine, a Catholic acting like a Catholic!
I assume you will be sending out the same warnings for all those who support iraq War and the Death Penalty as well since they are also against the teachings of the church and of the Vatican...Otherwise you would be just another political hack posing as a man of the cloth...Maybe you should be fighting more substantial wrongs that have been happenning each day before casting stones based on your own political leaning...
Amy previously wrote about the Iraq War/Death Penalty issue vs. Abortion as sins. Perhaps you should read that, Joe bob. Benedict himself, as Cardinal Ratzinger, wrote that although war is not the best case scenario, it is sometimes unavoidable. He also wrote that there is legitimate difference of opinion about the death penalty and that support for either does not make one unable to take communion.
Abortion, however, is always incompatible with the state of grace necessary to take communion.
You seem to have fallen into the same rhetorical trap that many do. But here's the link to what Amy compiled earlier so you can round that thought out a little.
http://amyproctor.squarespace.com/blog/2008/4/25/pope-pro-choicers-
shouldnt-take-communion-war-supporters-can.html
Airforcewife, you beat me to the punch. Pope Benedict wrote while he was still Cardinal Ratzinger:
I understand that most people only know me as an on-line name but the reality my highest goal in life is to submit to Christ and his teachings through the Church. If an edict were issued demanding Catholics not support the war, I would have to submit, but the fact is also that Popes don't speak infallibly every time they open their mouths.
SIDEBAR: Infallibility refers to reiterating what is already established doctrine/dogma. When the Pope says, "God is in three persons; the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit", he has spoken infallibly. I speak infallibly just as the pope does. But when we venture into the arena of opinion, it is just that: opinion. This is why no encyclical has ever been issued by a pope endorsing evolution, but there has been condemning evolution and endorsing creation. (Humane Generis by Pope Pius XII). Creation is established doctrine. Evolution is theory.
I do not put politics above religion (although obviously Gov. Sebelius does) and am in good standing in the Church, even when it comes to birth control usage, church attendance, etc.
So I can only assume it is out of a lack of knowledge that Joe Bob attributes a break with Catholic teaching on my behalf on the war in Iraq.
I'd also offer up that there are many priests serving as Catholic chaplains in the Army and the military at large. They cannot serve in such a capacity unless they are endorsed by their bishop and let go from their diocese. Essentially, the priests/chaplains serving in Iraq are sanctioned by their bishops, who are accountable to Rome.
Punchy, I live in Kansas and Sebelius has lived up to the reputation I attributed her. I'll post come links later.
Benedict himself, as Cardinal Ratzinger, wrote that although war is not the best case scenario, it is sometimes unavoidable
Last time I checked, the Iraq "war" was the textbook definition of "avoidable"
From Ratz himself:
it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor
Last time I checked, we didn't invade Iraq to repel an aggressor. In fact, we ARE the aggressors. Face it-- the Pope was specifically talking about the right to defend oneself; NOT to arbitrarily invade other countries and call it "war".
And that their Kansas Gov. maybe Obamas right had girl soon. Speculation has arisen! Won't that make the country tilted a bit more. Trying to decide if she's more extreme then Obama?
Punchy - those are your opinions, and not church mandates. Thus it really doesn't matter that you think them in regards to my eligibility to receive communion, or any other Catholic's state of grace.
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STL, I have a zero tolerance policy in my ROE regarding comments against religion, clergy or the military. You may want to consider saying what you have to say in a more civil manner or perhaps that the sentiments themselves are not worth saying.
You might also consider that the constitutional right to expression of religion and freedom of speech are in the same Constitutional amendment. Maybe there's a reason for that.
If Sebelius wants to be Catholic, she should act like one. Otherwise, it's a free country and she should join another faith that allows for killing the unborn up until the time of birth. What's that called, Satanism? I hear they have openings.
yea right...
you sound like burke here in STL................
Just to state a FACT... Your last comment is totally bogus about Satanism... It was MADE UP by the Church and given life by the Church... Otherwise there would be no such thing because there is not a red guy with horns waiting... So, so, silly.........
Really? Tell that to the Church of Satan. They believe they are real. Hey, they even have a Satanic bible.
The Church of Satan is a theatrical venture, with about 30 participants.
They don't take themselves seriously, so why do you?
It's a big "put on" and you're falling for it.
Agreed... I remember when I was in college in Springfield, Mo, Evangelical heaven. They supposively had a huge Satanic population as well... We would actually go look for these guys, etc... And guess what? Never found them which leads me to believe it is a very small group and they keep to themselves. Besides, IT IS MADE UP AND NOT REAL!!! A Satanic Bible? WHo and when was it written? Did it get cast up through the depths of the Earth and land in the hands of a tattooed freak? THINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't just follow!!!
You people don't believe what you don't want to. That's up to you. I've known about the Church of Satan since the early 1980's. There's nothing satirical about them. They are a real organization/religion. That's just a statistical fact. I'm not sure what your vested interest is in marginalizing them but I really don't care.
Because they don't matter.... Hello???