MODESTO – A Roman Catholic priest has told parishioners they should confess if they voted for Barack Obama because the president-elect supports abortion rights.
The Rev. Joseph Illo said parishioners at St. Joseph's Catholic Church shouldn't risk losing their "state of grace" by receiving Communion sacrilegiously.
He delivered the message in a Nov. 21 letter and at Mass.
In an interview last week with the Modesto Bee, Illo said he sent the letter because Catholic teaching requires that people go to confession when they commit a mortal sin.
The Most Rev. Stephen Blaire, bishop of the Stockton diocese, disagreed with Ilo. Catholics were not in need of confession if they voted for Obama after considering many issues, the bishop said. He also said Catholics should not be compelled to disclose how they voted to their priest.
Saturday, Illo said he would make a statement about his letter at services this morning.
– Modesto Bee, Associated Press
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