FORT COLLINS — Priests and deacons serving in the Archdiocese of Denver will not be allowed to donate money to political candidates or make endorsements under an upcoming directive from Archbishop Charles Chaput.
The directive, to be published in Wednesday’s Denver Catholic Register, states that clerics “may not publicly participate or endorse political campaigns or initiatives, or publicly affiliate themselves with groups whose primary purpose is to do so,” The Coloradoan of Fort Collins reported Saturday.
Chaput oversees churches in metro Denver, northern and northeastern Colorado and some mountain communities.
Archdiocese spokeswoman Jeanette DeMelo said Chaput wants to guide clergy ahead of the 2008 election and wasn’t responding to any specific activity by priests or deacons.
She said the directive affects only partisan political activity and that clergy still have a duty to speak out on moral issues such as abortion or immigration.
Nationally, Federal Election Commission records show about 100 Catholic priests and deacons have donated nearly $100,000 during the current election cycle. The bulk of the money went to Republican groups or candidates, but Democrat Barack Obama received the most of any candidate.
