Pope warns Catholic politicians who back abortion

By Philip Pullella

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Pope Benedict told Roman Catholic politicians on Wednesday that they exclude themselves from the Church if they support laws allowing abortions.

It was the first time the Pope, speaking to reporters as he began a trip to Brazil, dealt in depth with a controversial topic that has come up in many countries, including the United States, Mexico, and Italy.

The Pope was asked whether he supported Mexican Church leaders threatening to excommunicate leftist parliamentarians who last month voted to legalise abortion in Mexico City.

"Yes, this excommunication was not an arbitrary one but is allowed by Canon (church) law which says that the killing of an innocent child is incompatible with receiving communion, which is receiving the body of Christ," he said.

The Vatican's chief spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, later tried to downplay the comments, saying the Pope was not himself ordering excommunications.

"Since excommunication hasn't been declared by the Mexican bishops, the Pope has no intention himself of declaring it," Lombardi said. "Legislative action in favour of abortion is incompatible with participation in the Eucharist. Politicians exclude themselves from communion."

Catholics believe that the communion wafer distributed to the faithful during church services is the body of Christ and that those who receive it should be free of sin.

Church law says that automatic excommunication is self-inflicted by anyone who "procures" an abortion.