Bishop Thomas Daly of the Diocese of Spokane has issued a letter to his flock in which he calls politicians who support abortion “scandalous” and advises them not to receive Communion in his diocese.

Written on February 1, the letter addresses the new trend among pro-abortion politicians who are advocating laws expanding access to abortion in response to what they perceive to be a threat to the future of Roe v. Wade by the addition of pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. In particular, the bishop cited the Reproductive Health Act of the state of New York and the failed attempt to pass a similar law in Virginia.

“Efforts to expand access to abortion, allowing the murder of children up to the moment of birth is evil,” the bishop wrote. “Children are a gift from God, no matter the circumstances of their conception. They not only have a right to life, but we as a society have a moral obligation to protect them from harm.”

He goes on to call New York’s “Catholic” governor Andrew Cuomo the “champion” of this abortion legislation.

“Governor Cuomo frequently cites his Catholic faith in support of legislation he favors. His public witness as a Catholic politician, coupled with his stalwart support of abortion, is unacceptable.”

Even though New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan refused to excommunicate Cuomo, saying that the governor would only use the move to make a hero out of himself, Bishop Daly made it quite clear that he will handle things differently in his diocese.

“Politicians who reside in the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, and who obstinately persevere in their public support for abortion, should not receive Communion without first being reconciled to Christ and the Church (cf. Canon 915; 'Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion. General Principles.' Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 2004),” he advised.

“The Church’s commitment to the life of every human person from conception until death is firm," he continued. "God alone is the author of life and for the civil government to sanction the willful murder of children is unacceptable. For a Catholic political leader to do so is scandalous.”

The bishop went on to encourage the faithful to pray for our political leaders, entrusting them especially to the intercession of St. Thomas More, a public servant who preferred to die at the hands of civil authorities rather than abandon Christ and the Church.

“Let us also keep the unborn, as well as all pregnant mothers, in our prayers. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Live, Jesus, in our hearts forever.”

And let us keep this courageous bishop in our prayers as well!

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