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Priests to Pelosi: condemn abortion or leave the Church
dailycaller.com ^ | 6-20-2013 | Katie McHugh

Posted on 06/20/2013 12:32:22 PM PDT by servo1969

A pro-life group called on California Democrat Rep. Nancy Pelosi to “exercise your duties as a public servant and a Catholic, or have the honesty to formally renounce them,” in a widely-circulated open letter Wednesday.

“Public servants are supposed to be able to tell the difference between serving the public and killing the public. Apparently, you can’t,” wrote national director of Priests for Life Father Frank Pavone. “Otherwise, you would have been able to explain the difference between a legal medical procedure that kills a baby inside the womb and an act of murder.”

Pavone’s letter was written in response to the Minority Leader’s argument with a reporter — The Weekly Standard asked Pelosi to clarify her position on abortion in the wake of the Kermit Gosnell case during a press conference Thursday.

“What is the moral difference between what Dr. Gosnell did to a baby born alive at 23 weeks and aborting her moments before birth?” the reporter asked.

Pelosi dismissed the question and equated Gosnell’s crimes with pro-life activists’ condemnation of abortion.

“What was done in Philadelphia was reprehensible and everybody condemned it. For them to decide to disrespect a judgment a woman makes about her reproductive health is reprehensible,” she said. “Next question.”

When pressed for an answer, Pelosi pushed back harder, telling the reporter abortion should not be a political matter.

“As a practicing and respectful Catholic, this is sacred ground to me when we talk about this. I don’t think it should have anything to do with politics. And that’s where you’re taking it and I’m not going there,” Pelosi said, according to the press conference transcript.

In response to Pelosi, Pavone wrote that Pelosi’s answer violated both her duties as a public servant and a practicing Catholic.

“Abortion is not sacred ground; it is sacrilegious ground. To imagine God giving the slightest approval to an act that dismembers a child he created is offensive to both faith and reason,” Pavone wrote. “And to say that a question about the difference between a legal medical procedure and murder should not ‘have anything to do with politics’ reveals a profound failure to understand your own political responsibilities, which start with the duty to secure the God-given right to life of every citizen.”

“Whatever Catholic faith you claim to respect and practice, it is not the faith that the Catholic Church teaches,” Pavone continued. “And I speak for countless Catholics when I say that it’s time for you to stop speaking as if it were.”


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abortion; belongsinnews; catholic; pavone; pelosi; priest; uglyskank
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To: SCHROLL

it’s about time and the Pope should come over and tell her and others either follow their faith or leave and stop calling yourself a Catholic


61 posted on 06/20/2013 2:18:41 PM PDT by manc (Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
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To: servo1969
“Public servants are supposed to be able to tell the difference between serving the public and killing the public. Apparently, you can’t,” wrote national director of Priests for Life Father Frank Pavone. “Otherwise, you would have been able to explain the difference between a legal medical procedure that kills a baby inside the womb and an act of murder.”

It only counts if her bishop says it.

62 posted on 06/20/2013 2:19:28 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
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To: servo1969

Good for the priests who called this travesty of a human being on her monstrous opinions.


63 posted on 06/20/2013 2:22:02 PM PDT by MeganC (A gun is like a parachute. If you need one, and don't have one, you'll never need one again.)
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To: servo1969

Certainly took them long enough. I think if it was my parish in Brooklyn, NY (of all places), it might have been done sooner. They’re still kinda old school over here, as the local Catholic school of the same name is right across the street. There’s actually a ton of parochial schools in Brooklyn.


64 posted on 06/20/2013 2:22:36 PM PDT by wastedyears (I'm a gamer not because I choose to have no life, but because I choose to have many.)
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To: PATRIOT1876
Finally, someone from the Catholic church condemning her “sacred abortion” talk.

Finally, you've noticed.

Open Letter to Nancy Pelosi

26 US Bishops Have Rebuked Pelosi…So Far

Nancy Pelosi’s Bishop Admonishers Her on Abortion, Eleanor Clift Strikes Back

Pope Benedict strongly rebukes Pelosi over abortion

65 posted on 06/20/2013 2:22:47 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Electorate data confirms Resolute Conservative voted for Soetoro)
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To: longfellowsmuse

What church does she attend? Is it infiltrated with other baby murderers ( I realize she is from San Fran) Why can’t parishioners just form a human circle around the altar to prevent her from receiving the Eucharist...or at the very least make it known that her “brand” of catholicism does not belong. Yes, the priests are the leaders but they need help and encouragement from the flock.

**
Ha. Welcome to Catholicism in America ..there is no “flock” that is going to do this, ...because it wouldn’t be socially acceptable. Nancy is only a symptom of the problem ...most Catholics don’t practice in the same way they used to ...several members of our own family vote Democrat and will get into screaming matches with me over anything Republican or to do with politics. At the same time, they will attend Mass every week and wave at everyone and it’s all just hunky dory. It’s a crock. A lot of them are just too far gone ...


66 posted on 06/20/2013 2:23:35 PM PDT by LibsRJerks
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To: servo1969

I looked it up in the dictionary. It was right there. Just what I thought. Next to the word: UGLY was this photo. Yup, that photo. Confirmed what I thought. She be da ugliest woman this side of the Beast.


67 posted on 06/20/2013 2:24:44 PM PDT by RetiredArmy (1 Cor 15: 50-54 & 1 Thess 4: 13-17. That about covers it.)
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To: servo1969

“Or else we’ll ask you again sternly at a later date.”


68 posted on 06/20/2013 2:30:02 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: servo1969

Who has the authority to officially excommunicate her? A Cardinal? Archbishop? Bishop?


69 posted on 06/20/2013 2:30:32 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (The Civil Servants Are No Longer Servants...Or Civil.)
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To: LibsRJerks

There are places where Catholics are still Catholics. I will never try to predict the actions of others...but I would block her way to the altar at my church and I know I would not be alone.

America’s hope lies in the heartland.


70 posted on 06/20/2013 2:31:38 PM PDT by longfellowsmuse (last of the living nomads)
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To: rigelkentaurus

“so why hasn’t she and others like her been ex-communicated? A bit less talk and more action from these priests, please”

The same reason all those Obama-loving blacks who claim to be against abortion are not kicked out of their churches. They are hypocrites. No one can vote for the most pro-abortion politician in American history and still claim they are pro-life. Same thing can be said for anyone that votes for Obama and claims to be pro-life. There is no such thing as pro-life democrats. You can’t claim you are pro-life and stay in a party that wants abortion on demand, right on up to 9 months. HYPOCRITICAL BASTARDS is what they are.


71 posted on 06/20/2013 2:36:28 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
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To: servo1969
I’m not Catholic and I don’t know much about it but isn’t this the kind of thing that excommunication was invented for?

The Catholic church takes excommunication VERY seriously. The church believes that when they excommunicate someone, they are literally condemning that person to hell. So, since the church views their role as getting everybody they can into heaven, they don't rush into excommunicating people.

Should Nancy be excommunicated? I believe so. Why? It's not because she believes in the right to abortion - we are human, and everyone sins. It's that at the same time she is pushing abortion rights, she holds out the fact that she's Catholic, and that it's her 'Catholic faith' that guides her to her belief that abortion is morally righteous. So, the Church needs to look at the effect that Nancy Pelosi has on the souls of others. Is her actions leading the the possible damnation of others? If the Church believes so, then it can become like a case of justifiable homicide, damn Nancy Pelosi to limit the damage she can cause to other souls.

I believe Nancy crossed a line recently, and that line will lead to her excommunicated from the Church.
72 posted on 06/20/2013 2:39:14 PM PDT by MMaschin
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To: servo1969

Believing that wholesale or widespread abortion/murder is not gravely immoral...constitutes an automatic excommunication (Canon Laws 751 and 1364, heresy).
Those who provide assistance to anyone else to carry out such acts also commit a mortal sin (Canon Law 1398).

The Church stands for certain moral principles.
Anyone who publicly attacks the Church’s core moral teachings has removed herself from membership in (communion with) the Church.

However, it IS strange how generally quiet the Church itself is about this...?


73 posted on 06/20/2013 2:42:57 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (()
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To: ArrogantBustard

Maybe her bishop will have more gonnads than Dolan. There is no biggest “Catholic” hypocrite in the United States than
monkey face Andrew Cuomo, who daily causes great scandal in the Catholic Church by signing sodomite “marriage” into law and by signing the most radical abortion law in the country. In the state of NY you can get an abortion any time during a pregnancy and you do not have to have any reason. It’s like buying a soft drink. Give them the money and they murder the baby.

But instead of back-slapping Dolan excommunicating monkey face Cuomo, he pals around with him and goes out to dinner and speaks at democrat fund raisers. Dolan causes more scandal that Cuomo by not calling him out on murder and sodomite “marriage”.


74 posted on 06/20/2013 2:46:00 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
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To: servo1969

It is time for the church to stand up against these demons.


75 posted on 06/20/2013 2:46:42 PM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: Cyman
I disagree with this premise completely.

I disagree with that statement completely.

The health of the Church is the concern of all members of the Church.
76 posted on 06/20/2013 2:48:16 PM PDT by MMaschin
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To: Cyman

>> I disagree with this premise completely.

I only noticed demands. What premise are you referring to?


77 posted on 06/20/2013 2:53:07 PM PDT by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: MMaschin
The church believes that when they excommunicate someone, they are literally condemning that person to hell.

You are mistaken. Eternal condemnation is reserved to the Almighty. If you were correct then the excommunication couldn't be lifted, which it can.

Where did you get your JCL?

1463 Certain particularly grave sins incur excommunication, the most severe ecclesiastical penalty, which impedes the reception of the sacraments and the exercise of certain ecclesiastical acts, and for which absolution consequently cannot be granted, according to canon law, except by the Pope, the bishop of the place or priests authorized by them.68 In danger of death any priest, even if deprived of faculties for hearing confessions, can absolve from every sin and excommunication.69

2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,"76 "by the very commission of the offense,"77 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.78
The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy.
Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.(emphasis added)

78 posted on 06/20/2013 3:11:38 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Electorate data confirms Resolute Conservative voted for Soetoro)
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To: NKP_Vet
Dolan isn't Cuomo's Bishop, Hubbard is.

Dolan can issue an interdict for when Cuomo is in the Archdiocese of New York but he can't issue a ferendae sententiae excommunication to the already latae sententiae excommunicated Cuomo.

79 posted on 06/20/2013 3:16:38 PM PDT by A.A. Cunningham (Electorate data confirms Resolute Conservative voted for Soetoro)
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To: A.A. Cunningham

You are absolutely right. But Dolan is the president of the USCCB. If he wanted a formal letter of condemnation, or whatever you would call it sent to Cuomo, he could damn sure get it done. He’s too much of a politician and too little of an archbishop. Archbishop Hubbard has to retire next year. Maybe his replacement will put Church teachings before politics and call out Cuomo on his open hostility to the teachings of the Catholic Church, which is causing great scandal.


80 posted on 06/20/2013 4:01:39 PM PDT by NKP_Vet
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