Group challenges St. Louis archdiocese over political statements
ST. LOUIS A Catholic abortion-rights group is asking the Internal Revenue Service to stop the Archdiocese of St. Louis from trying to influence next week's elections. The Washington-based Catholics for a Free Choice asked the I-R-S to revoke the tax-exempt status the archdiocese enjoys as a public charity.
The group filed a complaint yesterday accusing the archdiocese of violating that status by advocating for political candidates.
The complaint cites a pastoral letter this month from Archbishop Raymond Burke. In it, he forbids Catholics from voting for candidates who support what he calls "intrinsic evils" such as abortion rights, euthanasia, cloning, gay marriage and stem cell research.
The archdiocese hasn't commented on the complaint.
An I-R-S spokesman can't say whether the agency will act before Tuesday's elections.
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