Separation of Church and State?

On Friday, November 20, 2009, 152 Catholic bishops sent a declaration to the US Senate. In addition to addressing the sanctity of marriage and religious worship, it condemned the recent Healthcare Reform Bill as unacceptable because of its references to abortion. The bishops would like something similar to the Stupak Amendment to be added into the Senate’s version of the bill. Following this declaration, Representative Patrick Kennedy, son of the late Ted Kennedy, revealed that in early 2007, the Council of Bishops asked him to stop accepting communion because of his stance on abortion. So, is the Church preventing our politicians from worshiping as they choose because of their political stance on hot-button issues? And, how can we trust that elected officials are truly representing the beliefs of their constituents when they face massive pressure from their churches? In this situation, it comes down to a major interest group, namely devoutly Catholic America, using their swing to push through policy that represents what is in the Church’s best interest over that of society. Shouldn’t any woman, whether she sits in church every week or not, be able to choose what happens to her body? Shouldn’t the Church remain in the sphere of worship and faith, leaving politicians to deal with politics?