Politics and the Catholic Church | WBUR and NPR

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Tuesday, April 27, 2004 at 10:00 AM EDT

Politics and the Catholic Church

On April 23, 2004, a top Vatican cardinal said that priests must deny communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion rights. While he didn’t mention John Kerry by name, it was clear who Cardinal Arinze’s statement was referring to.

Yet, this past Saturday, John Kerry’s local church in Boston granted him communion, in defiance of the Vatican statement. Kerry’s campaign maintains that religion should not be an issue in American politics. But is it up to them to decide?

Should the Vatican in Rome have a say in the American race for the White House?

Guests:

Joe Feuerherd, Washington correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter

Pat Healy, staff writer for The Boston Globe

Father Richard John Neuhaus, editor-in-chief of “First Things”

Father Richard McBrien, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame

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