AUGUSTA (AP) – The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland canceled a state lawmaker’s talk on prescription drugs for the elderly after his opponent told them he had taken a pro-choice stance on abortion.

Rep. Arthur L. Lerman, D-Augusta, said his invitation to a lady’s guild meeting Tuesday at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church was abruptly canceled after his opponent Michael G. Hein complained to diocese officials.

Lerman said his Republican opponent told the church his appearance violated Bishop Richard J. Malone’s ban on pro-choice candidates.

Diocese spokeswoman Sue Bernard said Malone recently issued an edict that candidates or other supporters of abortion rights be denied access to church facilities, reflecting U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops policy.

Diocese officials ordered the pastor at St. Mary’s Church to cancel the lady’s guild meeting after Diocese Co-Chancellor Sister Rita-Mae Bissonnette received a call Monday from Hein, Bernard said.

“He called here and spoke to Sister Rita-Mae Bissonnette and said, This is a problem, isn’t it, for the bishop?”‘ Bernard said. “The answer is, yes, it would be during a political campaign.”

Bernard said Malone was not in his office Monday, but that Bissonnette consulted with other officials before ordering St. Mary’s to prevent Lerman’s talk.

Lerman, a candidate for re-election to a second term, said he might return to address the guilds members after the election to lift any political flavor if they were still interested.

AP-ES-10-07-04 0216EDT