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Washington, D.C. — John Kerry met Thursday with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the Washington archbishop heading a task force examining whether there should be church sanctions against Kerry and other Roman Catholic politicians who support gay unions and abortion. 

Although Kerry is opposed to same-sex marriage he supports civil unions and is opposed to an amendment to the US Constitution to ban gay marriages. 

The two men met for 45 minutes just outside Washington, in Hyattsville, Maryland. At the end of the meeting neither would say what was discussed.

If elected Kerry would be the first Catholic president since John F. Kennedy. 

Kerry has been criticized by church leaders for taking stands in conflict with his faith's teachings. 

Bishop Raymond Burke, the archbishop of St. Louis, has said he would refuse to give Kerry communion because of his support for gays and for abortion rights. Kerry's own archbishop, Sean O'Malley of Boston, has endorsed that principle without naming the senator. 

Last year the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops created a task force to study what steps to take against Catholic politicians who vote and support positions at odds with church teachings.

McCarrick is heading the seven-member task force. 

Among the options are denying access to Catholic facilities to excommunication. McCarrick has said in the past that he would be opposed to excommunication.

by Paul Johnson
365Gay.com Newscenter
Washington Bureau Chief
©365Gay.com® 2004
This article originally appeared on 365gay.com. Republished with permission.

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