Father Jay Scott Newman is the Pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville, South Carolina. In the November 9, 2008, edition of the Church's Weekly Bulletin, Newman wrote that those of his parishioners who voted for President Elect Barack Obama should seek penitence before presenting themselves for holy communion.FOX News: Diocese Repudiates Catholic Priest... (November 14, 2008) In the bulletin, Newman referred to Obama as "the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president."FOX News: St. Mary's Catholic Church Bulletin (November 9, 2008) (64 KB PDF File) Newman's comments were later repudiated by the Charleston, South Carolina diocesan administrator, Monsignor Martin T. Laughlin.Articles of Faith (Boston.com): Diocese: Priest wrong about...voters (November 15, 2008)

"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."—Father Jay Scott Newman, writing in the November 9, 2008 St. Mary's Catholic Church BulletinFOX News: St. Mary's Catholic Church Bulletin (November 9, 2008) (64 KB PDF File)

"The recent comments of Father Jay Scott Newman, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville, S.C., have diverted the focus from the Church's clear position against abortion. As Administrator of the Diocese of Charleston, let me state with clarity that Father Newman';s statements do not adequately reflect the Catholic Church's teachings. Any comments or statements to the contrary are repudiated."—Statement of Monsignor Martin T. Laughlin, Administrator of the Diocese of CharlestonArticles of Faith (Boston.com): Diocese: Priest wrong about Obama voters (November 15, 2008)