Will New Archbishop of Washington Deny Pro-Abort Nancy Pelosi Communion at Jan. 3 Showcase Mass?

Life Site ^ | 12.19.06 | John Jalsevac

[Coleus]

As Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)—a pro-abortion legislator who claims to be a practicing Catholic—prepares to celebrate her new role as House Speaker-elect, she also plans on airing her purported faith during an upcoming public Mass. On Jan. 3, Rep. Pelosi is scheduled to attend Mass at Trinity College in Washington as an endorsement of her alma mater and her Catholic faith.  In response to the announcement, however, American Life League has implored Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C. to intervene in an effort to prevent Pelosi from using the Mass for political gain.

The former Washington Archbishop, Theodore McCarrick, consistently refused to take any disciplinary action—even the most basic of refusing Holy Communion—against Catholic politicians who persistently and publicly espoused views that seriously contradict Catholic teaching. The current Archbishop, Donald Wuerl, who was installed in June of this year, has not yet indicated how he will deal with such renegade Catholic politicians. Pelosi’s attendance at the Trinity College Mass will be a test-case for Wuerl on the issue.   

"Rep. Pelosi has been unwavering in her support for abortion and is downright defiant toward the Church's teachings on the sanctity of human life," said Judie Brown, president of American Life League.    Brown has written to Archbishop Wuerl requesting that he do all in his power to stop the event. "Rep. Pelosi has a tremendous opportunity to make a difference for all human beings as the most powerful Catholic in Congress," said Brown. "Unfortunately, she continually supports the very act that destroys life rather than protects it. It is for this reason that a Catholic institution should not condone or support her position as a legislator."

American Life League and other conservative and Catholic organizations in the United States have consistently urged Catholic bishops to uphold Church teaching by denying Holy Communion to public figures who persistently condone the crime of abortion. Catholics believe that it is sacrilegious for someone in a state of serious sin—such as the public supporting of abortion—to receive the Eucharist.  In the past Pelosi has announced her intent to continue receiving Holy Communion, despite her pro-abortion views.

"Allowing Rep. Pelosi to receive honor at a Catholic college sends mixed signals about what the Catholic Church teaches," said Brown. "The bottom line is, abortion kills a living human being created in the image and likeness of God and is therefore always wrong. Because of this truth, it is unconscionable for Rep. Pelosi to call herself a Catholic in good standing while supporting the heinous act of abortion. We are hopeful that Archbishop Wuerl will intercede in this situation and prevent Rep. Pelosi from adding to an ongoing scandal."

"It is shameful that Trinity College, a supposedly Catholic institution, has turned a blind eye to the heretical views Pelosi embraces."  The office of the Archbishop of Washington was unable to provide any statement from the Archbishop for LifeSiteNews.com by press deadline.   To respectfully contact His Eminence Archbishop Donald Wuerl:

P.O. Box 29260
Washington, DC
20017-0260 USA

Phone: 301-853-4500

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Another US Bishop Says He Will Refuse Communion to Pro-Abort Politician
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/apr/04043003.html

[Coleus]

Archbishop of Washington:
The Most Reverend Donald W. Wuerl, 301-853-4500

Secretary to the Archbishop: Rev. Carter Griffin, 301-853-4500

Archbishop Emeritus of Washington
Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, 301-853-4500

Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia:
Most Rev. Kevin J. Farrell, 301-853-4520

Vicar General and Moderator of Hispanic Ministries:
Most Rev. Francisco Gonzalez, S.F., 301-853-4566

Vicar General and Moderator for Ethnic Ministries:
Most Rev. Martin D. Holley, 301-853-4563

Chancellor: Jane Golden Belford, Esq., 301-853-4520

[Argus]

Pelosi's for gay marriage too. Her real "religion" is politics, but her views are more in line with those of that nutty woman who's the new head of the Episcopalians than with real Roman Catholics.

[HarleyLady27]

Its people like kerry and peloski and kennedy that give catholics a bad name....

If they were true practicing catholics they wouldn't even try for the Eucharist...its very sacred to us practicing catholics....

[AmericaUnited]

Why do we see this over and over again?! A Catholic politician getting a 'pass', where a 'peon' would not?

[Argus]

I have a strong hunch that the people you just named don't believe in the True Presence. To them it's just a symbolic wafer that they can crunch on without consequence.

[dominic flandry]

I am sick of these bishops who preach their socialist views as if they are part of the Faith but then refuse to preach the true Faith and dogma of the Church. I believe the Holy Father has said that the Eucharist should be denied to those like Pelosi.

[sitetest]

It is exceedingly unlikely that Archbishop Wuerl will either have the Mass canceled, or forbid it from being turned into a political rally, or forbid Ms. Pelosi from receiving the Blessed Sacrament.

I've read that Archbishop Wuerl is an old union Democrat, takes ire at the idea that voting Democrat is necessarily voting pro-abortion, pro-euthanasia, and pro-homosexual agenda, and believes that taking any of the above-mentioned actions is "politicizing" the Catholic faith.

I've been told that he is a personally orthodox and faithful bishop, but his political views seem to blind him in some ways.

Perhaps he may surprise. I can always hope.

[Cavalcabo]

It is unlikely Archbishop Wuerl will withhold Communion.

From an article on this subject from last year (Pittsburgh Catholic, 9-29-05):

"The case of withholding Communion from politicians is even more difficult because different bishops may make different pastoral decisions for their dioceses. In an article published last month, Pittsburgh Bishop Donald Wuerl suggested that bishops defer making individual decisions until the conference as a whole reaches consensus."

[Dick Bachert]

A young woman sat in a doctor’s office waiting room and cuddled the 6 month-old boy in her lap. Soon she was escorted to an exam room.

The doctor finally came in, smiled, sat down, glanced at her file and asked “Mrs. Jones, what brings you here today?”

She hesitated -- then the words tumbled out in a torrent.

“Doctor, my husband doesn’t make much money, we have 3 children now and I’m pregnant again. Doctor we just can’t afford another mouth to feed – we’re barely making it now. She paused again. “Doctor, I want an abortion.”

The doctor sat back in his chair, laid the file aside and said, “An abortion costs around 500 dollars and you probably don’t have the money. I have a better, less expensive option. “ Reaching into a drawer, the doctor extracted a scalpel and continued.

“Lay the lad here across your lap and pull his shirt up so his chest is exposed.”

Shocked, she blurted, “What are you going to do?”

“Why, we’ll simply kill THIS baby.”

Clutching her son to her breast, she leapt to her feet and shouted “You BEAST!”

“Mrs. Jones, I’d guess the boy here is about 6 months old so the only difference between your proposal and mine is that one baby is ON your lap and the other is IN you lap.”

She ran from the room, his words ringing in her ears.

Is abortion the killing of a human being?

Not according to NARAL, Nancy Pelosi and the other radical feminist gangs who require that abortion continue to be available to them as a last resort birth control method to allow them to persist in their sexually promiscuous lifestyle.

I’ll believe it’s NOT a human being when a woman gives birth to a chicken, hog or a tree.

[scrabblehack]

You're probably right. He was bishop of the Pittsburgh Diocese some years ago. The Pittsburgh media portrayed him as a stodgy old conservative -- my liberal sister said that was not accurate -- she was actually rather disappointed with his Sunday School curriculum -- kids didn't know even basic Bible stories. They had watered down Sunday School so far that there were no expectations.

[sitetest]

Dear scrabblehack,

Archbishop Wuerl was just appointed to Washington this year. He came from the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

He is a rather conservative, orthodox bishop. It's just that he's also an old-time Democrat, too.

Individual parishes usually have some flexibility in the materials that they use for religious education. Thus, it's possible that then-Bishop Wuerl didn't have a lot to do with the material used by your sister's parish.

From my own experience, Catholic religious education doesn't usually focus on Bible stories. First, for Catholics who regularly attend Mass, we get a pretty good amount of the Bible read to us over the years. Thus, children who attend Mass, and who are paying attention, could reasonably be expected to have a significant grasp already of much of Scripture, especially the Gospels. Second, it isn't unusual for Catholic families to introduce their children to the Bible before, and outside of religious education.

Much of Catholic education for school-aged children revolves around sacramental preparation.


sitetest

[Salvation]

CINOs

Catholics in Name Only

[Salvation]

I agree with you on the status of Wuerl. Seems like he was one of the bishops who was going for a stronger stand against the priests who molested children. Remember those days and hearings on EWTN?

Pinging the person who keeps track of bishops for FR.

Another thing -- though -- I don't think Pelosi would even approach for Holy Communion. What audacity if she did!

[Salvation]

Any views on Archbishop Wuerl?

[sitetest]

Dear Salvation,

"Another thing -- though -- I don't think Pelosi would even approach for Holy Communion."

Why not? I think she believes that she's a good Catholic.


sitetest

[Andrew Byler]

The really sad thing is that compared to some of our so-called defenders of the faith with their annulments and artificially limited families, Pelosi has actually lead a personal life more in tune with the teachings of the Church on family/life issues. I.e. one marriage and five children with no known adultery. Its too bad she can't seem to make her own personal priorities vis-a-vis a life of faith her political priorities.

[GCC Catholic]

Pittsburgh Bishop Donald Wuerl suggested that bishops defer making individual decisions until the conference as a whole reaches consensus.

Had the bishops done this at or right after Nicaea, the entire Church would have marched happily into the heresy of Arianism. Archbishop Wuerl (and far far too many other American prelates) would do well to heed this example and act accordingly, following the example of Bp. Bruskiewicz and do what is right, even when it isn't popular. It's time that the bishops stop acting as though the USCCB has actual authority over what they can and cannot do. This is not a conciliar church.

[GCC Catholic]

I think she believes that she's a good Catholic.

All the more reason that Abp. Wuerl needs to lovingly correct her by refusing her Communion until she repents from her public sin of condoning abortion.

[sitetest]

Dear GCC Catholic,

That would be nice, but I don't think that it's in the cards.

I believe that Archbishop Wuerl has taken the position previously that denying folks Holy Communion because of their "political" beliefs, no matter how anti-human, is to politicize the Blessed Sacrament.

I disagree. But I don't wear the miter around here.


sitetest

[Joseph DeMaistre]

I say excommunicate her for heresy.