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.”