Pro-abortion politicians should not be given communion, says Cardinal

PRIESTS have been told to deny communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians by a senior Vatican cardinal.

Cardinal Francis Arinze made the comments during a press conference to launch a new Vatican directive clamping down on liturgical abuses in Mass, which bars lay people from giving homilies, non-Catholics from taking communion and rites of other religions from being introduced in the service.

The document reiterated Church teaching that anyone who is conscious of being in "grave sin" must go to confession before taking communion. And it said priests cannot deny communion to a Catholic unless he or she is prevented from receiving it by church law.