Denver, Colo., Oct 26, 2004 / 22:00 pm
A pro-abortion group that claims to be Catholic has requested that the tax-exempt status of the Archdiocese of Denver be revoked. Catholics for a Free Choice submitted its request to the Internal Revenue Service Oct. 25, reported the Denver Post.
The Washington-based group claims that Archbishop Charles Chaput broke laws about partisan politicking when he made repeated public statements about the importance for Catholics to vote in line with Church teachings regarding abortion and embryonic stem-cell research.
Although Archbishop Chaput has never named President George Bush or Senator John Kerry in his speeches, the group’s president, Frances Kissling, says the archbishop’s statements are attempts to influence Catholics to vote for Bush.
In a statement, archdiocesan spokesman Sergio Gutierrez replied: "The Church in northern Colorado respects and observes the law. That will continue. So will our public engagement in moral issues that impact our shared public life."