Zubik would urge anti-abortion votes, not bar lawmakers from church News-Chronicle, AP Bishop David Zubik of the Green Bay Catholic Diocese called Catholic legislators who supported abortion and euthanasia "a contradiction to their faith" but stopped short of matching a La Crosse bishop's decree that Catholic lawmakers who support abortion rights could no longer receive communion. Bishop Raymond Burke of La Crosse cited Vatican doctrine, canon law and teachings by the U.S. bishops in an announcement telling diocesan priests to withhold communion from such lawmakers until they "publicly renounce" their support of abortion rights. Zubik, on Friday, emphasized church teachings on the subject but said that how he would "encourage and enlist" the legislators would require "a pastoral outreach on my part and a willingness to receive my concerns on the part of legislators." In his statement, Zubik said: "The teaching of the Catholic Church on the issue of life is crystal clear, especially our belief that life is sacred from the first moment of conception to the moment of natural death. This belief is shared by many Christians and non-Christians alike. I certainly encourage and especially urge that Catholics in public office and particularly our legislators will support public policy that defends human life on all levels. "As Bishop of the Church of Green Bay I take seriously my responsibility as teacher of the faith and pastor of the faithful. In that capacity, I also urge Catholic legislators to broaden their understanding of the rationale that respects human life so that this perspective can be reflected in their leadership decisions. "Any Catholic legislator who supports and even more so advocates for abortion and euthanasia can be a contradiction to their faith and can be a scandal to others. A serious matter, indeed. "As we come to know Jesus and his own teachings in the Gospels and know how he can read into our hearts, we know what he thinks about such actions and what he promises as the consequences. "Let there be no doubt that I am a strong advocate of pro-life issues and a defender of human life at all stages. How I can encourage and enlist the legislators, especially the Catholics within this Diocese, to reflect a commitment to pro-life issues is one that demands first a pastoral outreach on my part and a willingness to receive my concerns on the part of legislators." While Zubik took office in December, Burke, 55, has only been La Crosse's diocesan administrator since December, when Pope John Paul II named him to become archbishop of St. Louis. Burke signed the decree in November, when he still had the authority to do so, but it was not made public until Thursday. Burke is to be installed in St. Louis Jan. 26, raising concerns that he may issue the same decree there. "This is about as stark a decree to come down against Catholic politicians as we've seen in recent history," said Barry W. Lynn, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "The problem with it is that elected officials have to represent people of all faiths and none, and not adhere to one religious demand like the bishop's," he said. In November, Burke wrote letters to at least three Catholic lawmakers, telling them they risked their faith by continuing to vote for measures he termed anti-life, including abortion and euthanasia. U.S. Rep. David Obey, a Democrat from Wausau who received a letter from Burke, said Friday that he respects the sacred oath he took to uphold the U.S. Constitution. Obey said Burke can instruct him on faith and morals in his private life, but should use "persuasion, not dictation" to affect his political votes. He said Burke had "crossed the line into unacceptable territory." State Senate Minority Leader Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, who was raised Catholic but is no longer practicing, said good works by Catholics in the past have been done "without prejudice or judgment." "Dictating public policy for people of all faiths by holding sacraments hostage from those who believe does not sound right," Erpenbach said. Dan Maguire, a professor of theology at the Jesuit Marquette University in Milwaukee, called Burke a "fanatic" who has embarrassed the Catholic Church by using bullying tactics. "He is not a theologian and he is making terrible mistakes that have been addressed in theology in the past," Maguire said. "He's making a fool of himself. And the politicians are absolutely within their Catholic rights to ignore him." Sister Mary Ann Walsh of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said she had not seen the decree and could not comment on it, but "those generally are matters to be decided between a bishop and a person he's dealing with." The Vatican and U.S. bishops have for years urged Catholic legislators to consider their faith when they vote, and a task force of bishops is weighing whether to recommend sanctions for Catholic politicians who support policies contrary to church teachings. In his notification, Burke said his duty as bishop is "to explain, persuade, correct and admonish those in leadership positions who contradict the Gospel of life through their action and policies." Other Wisconsin dioceses say they are not likely to follow suit. "There's been no indication in the five months Bishop (Robert) Morlino's been here that he's ever done something like that or plans to do that," said Bill Brophy, spokesman for the Diocese of Madison. The Rev. Philip Heslin of the Diocese of Superior also did not expect Bishop Raphael M. Fliss to do anything similar. Milwaukee spokeswoman Kathleen Hohl said Archbishop Timothy Dolan was on a retreat Friday and would not comment on the decree. Missouri state Rep. Tom Villa, D-St. Louis, said he votes against abortion rights but doesn't like the idea of a bishop telling him he must. "I happen to be right as far as the incoming bishop is concerned on the pro-life stuff. I am clearly wrong on capital punishment," Villa said. "I would have a problem with anybody telling me I can't receive communion. Your faith is something that's very personal."