During the past month, my wife and I submitted a letter to the editor of the Sun Journal (May 22) questioning what we felt was the coercive tactic threatened by the Catholic bishop of Colorado Springs when he told his parishioners that they should not receive communion if they supported politicians who advocated positions contrary to church teaching.

For Catholics this is a grave matter. We suggested in our letter that if the bishop used this tactic then his diocese wasn’t entitled to a tax exemption.

Our letter prompted a response from Andrew Hall of Lewiston (May 26). Mr. Hall believes our position is a First Amendment issue. He cited Planned Parenthood and the Unitarian Church, among others, who also advocate for certain political positions.

He misinterprets our argument. In our view the issue is not whether the bishop of Colorado Springs has a right to publicly express his political opinions. He absolutely does. The issue is whether he is entitled to engage in coercive activity, using the power of his position, to effectively deny a sacrament to certain of his parishioners.

If Planned Parenthood, to use one of Mr. Hall’s examples, were to withhold family planning services from individuals based on their party affiliation, then it would be no more deserving of tax-exempt status.

Mr. Hall also implies that our criticism applies to the entire church. It doesn’t. As a recent Sun Journal editorial made clear, the bishop of Portland has chosen a wiser course.

Ed Cundy, Paris