A Roman Catholic priest in South Carolina says his parishioners should not take Communion if they voted for Barack Obama, because of his stance on abortion.

Church law does not allow priests to refuse parishioners the sacrament, but Rev. Jay Scott Newman said they should not take Communion until they repent for supporting, "the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for President."

Newman also said, "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."

But the diocese of Charleston told CBN News those comments do not reflect the Catholic church's teachings.

"If a person has formed his or her conscience well, he or she should not be denied Communion, nor be told to go to confession before receiving communion," they said.

Leaders from the diocese of Charleston went on to urge people to pray for President-elect Obama and all elected officials to protect unborn children.