By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke said he is clarifying his position on Catholics who vote for abortion rights-supporting candidates.
Several months ago, Burke sparked controversy when he declared it a grave sin.
Now the Archbishop said Catholics may vote for politicians who support abortion rights, but only if abortion is not the voters' reason for selecting the candidate.
"A Catholic could only justify voting for someone who supports abortion rights on the basis that the other candidate supported something which was proportionately more evil," Burke said. "And I have not been able to think of such a thing."
Burke said he'll release a pastoral letter on the issue by the end of the month.
The Archbishop has never mentioned any candidates by name in relation to voting, but he has said he would deny Communion to John Kerry, should the Senator attend Mass in St. Louis.