SPRINGFIELD - An Illinois state legislator says his former Catholic high school invited him to join the school's hall of honor in recognition of his political career - then yanked back that invitation after deciding his voting record wasn't in line with the church's positions on abortion.

"The school called me (this week) and informed me ¦ that they had serious concerns about my voting record," said state Rep. Kurt Granberg, D-Carlyle, describing the conversation in which, he said, he was effectively un-inducted from the school's hall of honor, shortly after being invited into it.

"I said, 'Why is that?' " Granberg said. "They said they were very concerned I wasn't 'pro-life enough.' "

Dennis Litteken, principal of Mater Dei High School in Breese, said he was the official who talked with Granberg, and he confirmed Granberg won't be in the hall of honor.

Litteken called the issue a "misunderstanding" but declined to discuss it further.

Granberg is a 1971 graduate of the high school and has represented the Breese area in the legislature since 1987. He calls himself pro-life and is generally aligned with anti-abortion forces on legislative issues. However, he has supported stem-cell research, which some consider to be at odds with the anti-abortion movement.

The question of whether the Catholic Church should pressure Catholic politicians on public policy was a major issue in the 1960 campaign of America's first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy, and has been an undercurrent in U.S. politics since then.

As for Granberg, he said he isn't angry about Mater Dei's snub but is concerned about the message it sends regarding the separation of church and state.

"I have a great deal of respect for the school and the teachers and the students ¦ (but) I am concerned that a small vocal minority is making personal judgments ¦ in terms of morality," Granberg said.

Litteken, the high school principal, said nominations to the hall of honor are reviewed by a committee. He declined to name the committee members but said they include faculty, alumni and citizens.

Mater Dei is part of the Belleville Diocese. A diocese spokesman couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

Granberg has announced he isn't running for re-election this year. His current term expires in January 2009.

Kevin McDermott can be reached at kmcdermott@post-dispatch.com.