Governor of Kansas Kathleen Sebelius is looking to move to Washington D.C. to become the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Sebelius is President Obama’s second nominee to the post after Tom Daschle withdrew from consideration after it was revealed he failed to pay $140,000 in taxes.

Gov. Sebelius has both political and religious controversy surrounding her, with her local bishop, Archbishop Joseph Naumann asking her to refrain from Holy Communion for her "30-year history of advocating and acting in support of legalized abortion." The archbishop told CNA that he came to the point of asking the governor to refrain from Communion after speaking with her over a two-year period at various levels.
Upon hearing that she was nominated by President Obama, Archbishop Naumann wrote in his weekly column in The Leaven that "her appointment to HHS is particularly troubling."
If Sebelius’ nomination as HHS Secretary is accepted and she moves to Washington D.C., she will face the same request to not receive Communion.

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Outrages to follow:

Seblius Denied Communion

Doctors and Family Excommunicated

Indiana Bishop to Boycott Obama at ND

Responding to the debate over whether Catholic politicians who support abortion should be denied Communion, Rev. Kenneth J. Doyle, chancellor for public information for the Diocese of Albany, gave three reasons why "refusing Communion would be an unwise decision."

First, he noted, "the role of the Church is to teach: to teach the sacredness of the life of the child within the womb and the importance of the life of the mother who is carrying the child. The Church tries to prompt a reasoned discussion about the relative rights of each. Refusing Communion might well put the focus instead on politicians and penalties, and sidetracks the essential discussion."

Q. Is it not the responsibility of the individual Catholic to judge their worthiness to receive holy Communion? Why would a bishop ask someone to refrain from presenting himself for reception of holy Communion?

A. Normally, it is the responsibility of the individual Catholic to make the judgment of whether he or she is able to receive holy Communion. It is also the responsibility of the individual Catholic to have a well-formed conscience that is informed by the teachings of the church. However, if an individual persistently acts publicly in a manner that is inconsistent with fundamental moral teachings of the church and continues to receive holy Communion, a bishop may feel obliged to intervene for the good of the individual and to protect others from being misled. "Happy Are Those Called to His Supper" addresses this issue: "If a Catholic in his or her personal or professional life were knowingly and obstinately to reject the defined doctrines of the Church, or knowingly and obstinately to repudiate her definitive teachings on moral issues, however, he or she would seriously diminish his or her communion with the Church. Reception of Holy Communion, in such a situation, would not accord with the nature of the Eucharistic celebration, so that he or she should refrain."