The following comes from a Jan. 28 story in the New Boston Post.

The archbishop of New York has no plans to excommunicate New York Governor Andrew Cuomo from the Roman Catholic Church for signing a bill making abortion legal in that state up to the moment of birth, saying he thinks it would backfire.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, one of the prominent leaders of the Catholic Church in America, addressed the issue during an appearance on Fox & Friends this morning.

Cuomo, a Democrat and a Roman Catholic, asked for the bill, signed the bill, and ordered certain landmarks in the state to be lit up pink to celebrate the bill.

What to do about Catholic politicians who support legal abortion, which the Catholic Church teaches is murder, has rankled bishops, Catholic commentators, and many laypeople since shortly after abortion became legal nationwide in 1973.

Steve Doocy, one of the three hosts of the show, asked Dolan about it Wednesday, January 28. Here’s a transcript of the exchange:

  • Steve Doocy:  There are calls from people in the Catholic Church for Governor Cuomo to be excommunicated, from the Catholic Church.
  • Cardinal Timothy Dolan:  You’re telling me. I get wheelbarrows of letters every day. I think that would be counterproductive, myself. For one …
  • Steve Doocy:  Well, he’s not following Catholic doctrine.
  • Cardinal Timothy Dolan:  Well, I don’t know if Catholic doc- — but there’s my point, Steve. We would be giving ammo to our enemies who say, ‘This is an internal Catholic disciplinary matter. This is really not civil rights. This is really not biology. These Catholics don’t have freedom when it comes to this.’ I think we’d be giving our enemies ammo….