The battle among Roman Catholics regarding pro-choice politicians who belong to their church is spreading. While the focus has been on Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, the controversy recently engulfed New Jersey's governor and a prominent cardinal in the church.

Newark, N.J., Archbishop John Myers sent a message to Catholics in his diocese that prompted Governor James McGreevey, a Democrat, to say he would not take Communion at public masses. McGreevey not only supports abortion rights but has signed legislation to provide state funds for a research center designed to experiment on embryonic stem cells. Such research destroys embryos.

"Every faithful Catholic must be not only 'personally opposed' to abortion, but also must live that opposition in his or her actions," [Archbishop] Myers said in a statement issued May 5.

On April 23, Cardinal Francis Arinze, a leading official at the Vatican, said priests should refuse communion to pro-abortion politicians. Those politicians, [Cardinal] Arinze said, are "not fit to receive communion." (Baptist Press, reported in Pulpit Helps, July 2004, p. 26).