Cardinal Not 'Comfortable' Denying Kerry Communion

Good news for John Kerry and the rest of the "Deadly Dozen" U.S. senators: A U.S. bishop in charge of enforcing church doctrine isn't up to the task.

"I have not gotten to the stage where I'm comfortable in denying the Eucharist," Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, D.C., fretted today.

The head of a "task force" on the issue, McCarrick told the Associated Press that "Catholic" politicians who advocate policies contrary to church teaching on abortion and other issues might risk lesser sanctions.

Among possible "penalties" the comfort-seeking cardinal mentioned: no honorary degrees from Catholic universities, no honors from dioceses, or no invitations to speak from Catholic institutions.

In other words, keep doing as you please.

Kerry rallied with pro-abortion groups Friday right after a top Vatican cardinal re-emphasized that priests must not give communion to pro-abortion politicians who claim to be Catholic.

But that cardinal, Francis Arinze, is from Nigeria, and it seems that only Third World Catholics are expected to follow the church's teachings these days. Just ask the French.

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