NATION : Pro-Abortion Catholics Warned

NEW YORK — Cardinal John O’Connor, in a tough 12-page statement published in the archdiocesan newspaper today, warned Roman Catholic politicians they risk excommunication if they continue to support abortion rights.

“Where Catholics are perceived not only as treating church teaching on abortion with contempt, but helping to multiply abortions by advocating legislation supporting abortion, or by making public funds available for abortion, bishops may decide that . . . such Catholics must be warned that they are at risk of excommunication,” O’Connor’s statement said.

O’Connor said that if such actions persist, “bishops may consider excommunication the only option.”

New York has a number of nationally prominent Catholic politicians who support legal abortion, including Democratic Gov. Mario M. Cuomo and Democratic Rep. Charles B. Rangel, and O’Connor said those politicians cannot separate their faith from their policies.