Vatican's Archbishop Burke Critical of Sebelius Appointment

Her appointment [as Secretary of Health and Human Services] is the source of the greatest embarrassment because she has publicly and repeatedly betrayed her Catholic Faith.

SAN DIEGO, CA (Christian Newswire) - The head of the Roman Catholic Church's highest office overseeing Church law spoke out in an interview supporting Kansas City Archbishop, Joseph Naumann, in his position decrying the nomination of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services and declaring that she is not in good standing with the Catholic Church.

In an exclusive interview with Thomas J. McKenna, president of Catholic Action for Faith and Family, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, addressed many of the controversial aspects of the appointment by President Obama and strongly supported the pastoral and canonical means by which the Governor has been disciplined by her bishop because of her public support for abortion.

"Archbishop Naumann acted with exemplary pastoral charity in the matter, protecting the Body and Blood of Christ from unworthy reception, preventing the Governor from the commission of the most serious sin of sacrilege, and ending the great scandal caused by the Governor's unworthy reception of the Body and Blood of Christ" he said in the interview.

When asked for his opinion on the nomination of Governor Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services he said "As a Roman Catholic, her appointment is the source of the greatest embarrassment because she has publicly and repeatedly betrayed her Catholic faith. No matter how good Governor Sebelius' record regarding other human life concerns may be, if she is not committed to the safeguarding of human life from its very inception, she should not be entrusted with the questions of health and human services for our nation" he continued.

In a separate interview with Archbishop Naumann, Mr. McKenna asked him for an insight into the pastoral reasons he publicly asked Governor Sebelius not to present herself for Holy Communion. "My motivation was primarily to protect the Church and her teaching, as well as to protect our people from being misled" he explained.

His detailed responses clearly dispelled the accusations raised by pro-abortion groups, liberal Catholics and some media that he was using his pastoral authority to influence politics. He clearly showed that his main motivation was spiritual. When asked about the sin of scandal he explained, "I am very concerned about the governor and others like her leading individuals to think that it is not really so bad if you support abortion. What I think is even more deadly, especially for our young people, is for them to think that if the law permits abortion it must not be all that bad for me to procure an abortion either."

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Both interviews can be read in their entirety on Catholic Action for Faith and Family's web site, www.CatholicAction.org.