Posted on 06/20/2013 2:52:25 PM PDT by NYer
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A group of pro-life priests has written to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, demanding that she either follow the Catholic teachings on abortion, or “have the honesty” to “formally renounce” her Catholic faith.
The letter was written in response to Pelosi’s recent remarks in which she suggested that the issue of late-term abortions is “sacred ground.”
Last week, Pelosi was asked by a reporter what the difference is between a legal late-term abortion and the killing of babies of the same age after they have been born alive, as late-term aborionist Kermit Gosnell was recently found guilty of doing.
Pelosi refused to answer the question, and in response to the reporter’s repeated questioning, she responded, "As a practicing and respectful Catholic, this is sacred ground to me when we talk about this. This shouldn't have anything to do with politics."
In an open letter to Pelosi, Fr. Frank Pavone, the national director of Priests for Life, shot back: “With this statement, you make a mockery of the Catholic faith and of the tens of millions of Americans who consider themselves ‘practicing and respectful Catholics’ and who find the killing of children -- whether inside or outside the womb -- reprehensible.”
"Whatever Catholic faith you claim to respect and practice, it is not the faith that the Catholic Church teaches,” continued Pavone. “And I speak for countless Catholics when I say that it's time for you to stop speaking as if it were.”
Nancy Pelosi has long been one of the strongest supporters of legal abortion in the House of Representatives. While numerous Catholic bishops have publicly chastised her for her views on the issue, she has often invoked her Catholic faith as justification for her stance on the issue.
In one interview with Newsweek in 2010, Pelosi said that it is because of the Catholic teaching of “free will” that she believes women should have the right to choose abortion. She also mentioned the fact that she herself had six children, saying, “So, I appreciate and value all that they want to talk about in terms of family and the rest."
However, Fr. Pavone took the former speaker to task for her attempt to justify abortion based upon her faith.
“Abortion is not sacred ground; it is sacrilegious ground,” he said. “To imagine God giving the slightest approval to an act that dismembers a child he created is offensive to both faith and reason. 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.”
Fr. Pavone’s letter concludes: “Mrs. Pelosi, for decades you have gotten away with betraying and misrepresenting the Catholic faith as well as the responsibilities of public office. We have had enough of it."
"Either exercise your duties as a public servant and a Catholic, or have the honesty to formally renounce them.”
"As a practicing and respectful Catholic, this is sacred ground to me when we talk about this. This shouldn't have anything to do with politics."
What a bald face liar!!!
For Pelosi and her far Left minions abortion has always been politics. A Womans Right to Choose has been a rallying cry and a cudgel with which to beat conservative Republicans as long as she has been in office.
Lies are Nancys political tool of choice. She lies about the racism of conservatives, she lies about the superiority of socialized medicine, she lies about poverty in America, she lies about the suppression of the black vote.
I could go on but this is aggravating my blood pressure.
I dont know if Nancy attends Mass regularly and takes communion or not but I cant imagine that being denied communion would bother her much. I would imagine that if she were excommunicated she would simply use that fact as a political tool like any other action of a conservative nature.
Unfortunately, the influence of money plays a big part in the lack of fortitude of the RCC hierachy to crack down on wayward Catholics, especially politicians..
Incorrect, yet again. Wuerl isn't Pelosi's Bishop, a fact which escapes you and which you coveniently omitted.
And second? Pelosi, as a San Franciscan, "isn't part of my flock!''
One would think that after having been caught engaging in dishonest behavior time after time, you'd stop that nonsense. However, your lack of character and integrity always seems to percolate to the surface, doesn't it? You simply can't help yourself.
If Cordileone contacted Wuerl and informed him that Pelosi was under an interdict and could not receive Communion, Wuerl would be obligated to comply just as he was obligated to comply, albeit reluctantly, with Naumann regarding Sebelius.
Unfair comparison. Prostitutes practice chastity more often than democrats practice honesty.
Actually, her ordinary is the archbishop of San Francisco, which ought to free Archbishop of any scruples in co-signing that letter.
Wuerl is not Pelosi's "home" bishop, but rather is the bishop over DC. That said, he still should refuse her, but it's really up to her SF bishop re whether she's a "Catholic in good standing" or not.
Thanks for correcting me. I knew that Pelosi had a bishop "back home", and a different one giving her communion in DC, but I had mistakenly accorded Wuerl with being the bishop "back home". I was remembering the roles exactly as you describe them, but had Wuerl in the wrong location.
He might not refuse her communion, but he could basically tell her that she has no right to declare what is Catholic doctrine. What is he afraid of?
And that is why the Pope must do it....because he can.
Can. 916 A person who is conscious of grave sin is not to celebrate Mass or receive the body of the Lord without previous sacramental confession unless there is a grave reason and there is no opportunity to confess; in this case the person is to remember the obligation to make an act of perfect contrition which includes the resolution of confessing as soon as possible.- http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P39.HTM
But as i understand it, the decision to excommunicated is left to the local ordinary, though he can be overruled. See more on this issue here. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2901874/posts?page=68#68
And then you have the interpretation of men like the aforementioned Wuerl
" . "I stand with the great majority of American bishops and bishops around the world in saying this canon [Canon 915] was never intended to be used this way.'' -- http://www.canonlaw.info/2009/03/abps-wuerl-c-916-burke-cc-915-916-on.html
Also, according to Canon 1184 §, unless they gave some signs of repentance before death, the following must be deprived of ecclesiastical funerals: 1/ notorious apostates, heretics, and schismatics; 2/ those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith; 3/ other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful. (http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_P4X.HTM; http://www.ewtn.com/library/liturgy/zlitur280.htm)
Yet the overall practice of Rome is to treat liberal RCs as member in life and in death, and thus souls as Teddy Kennedy to Hugo Chavez have been granted ecclesiastical funerals, perhaps because they no longer result in much public scandal of the faithful.
However Scripture commands concerning such reproved but impenitent professed members,
"But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. " (1 Corinthians 5:11-13)
"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. " (Romans 16:17)
"And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. " (2 Thessalonians 3:14)
+1
It's not my fault. She's not my responsibility.
Nobody has the guts to take a stand and ex-communicate her.
Talk is cheap. When the Catholic church puts some actions to its words, then they'll have some credibility.
The RCC is a worldly organization - here’s the rules and if you don’t follow them - it’s OK. We aim to please ‘man’.
And if she DOESN’T?
Will they have the, uh, gonads to EXCOMMUNICATE her?
As the link you offer for substantiation of "a fact which escapes you and which you coveniently omitted," inferring motive, was actually posted by Murphy, i doubt it was intentional, but perhaps a lack of careful reading or memory.
I'm afraid that I am guilty of this WAY too often!
Me also.
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