Pelosi references Epiphany and St. Francis as House confirms Biden win - Catholic Review
Pelosi references Epiphany and St. Francis as House confirms Biden win
WASHINGTON (CNS) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referenced the Epiphany, St. Francis of Assisi, and also uttered a prayer as the House of Representatives reconvened the night of Jan. 6 to confirm the Electoral College win of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. in the November presidential election. The count had been interrupted by hundreds of marauders who breached the Capitol that afternoon, bringing the count to a halt.
"Today, Jan. 6, is the feast of the Epiphany,” when the Christ Child was first revealed as a human beyond Mary and St. Joseph," Pelosi, said. “On this day of revelation, let us pray that this instigation to violence will provide an epiphany for our country to heal.”
In that spirit of healing, I evoke the song of Saint Francis. I usually do. St. Francis is the patron saint of my city of San Francisco, and song of St. Francis is our anthem: ‘Lord, make me a channel of thy peace. Where there is darkness, may you bring light. Where there is hatred, let us bring love. Where there is despair, let us bring hope.'”
Later, near the end of her remarks, Pelosi, who is Catholic, said: “So on this holy day of Epiphany, let us pray. I’m a big believer in prayer. Let us pray that there will be peace on earth and that it will begin with us. Let us pray that God will continue to bless America with that.”
Reaction by Catholic leaders to the Capitol breach — the most serious since the British burned down the building in 1814 during the War of 1812 — was swift.
“I join my brother U.S. bishops in condemning the violence we witnessed today in our nation’s capital and condemning the events and rhetoric leading to the mob violence,” said a Jan. 6 tweet from Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis that was posted on the Twitter feed of the St. Louis Review, the archdiocesan newspaper.
“The Gospel itself is a full-throated and stern warning against mob action,” said a Jan. 6 tweet from Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas. “If institutions of order & lawful transitions of authority are systematically deconstructed & trampled upon by factional self-interests, it leads to just that, a mob. Let the elected govern.”
“Let’s pray for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris as they prepare to serve our nation in their elected offices,” said a Jan. 7 tweet from Bishop Michael F. Olson of Fort Worth, Texas. “Let us ask the Lord for peace and the order of right reason during this transition.”
In praying for those engulfed in the violence at the Capitol, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory of Washington — in whose archdiocese the Capitol is located — said: “There are injuries and tremendous harm, including reports about the loss of life.” A woman shot inside the Capitol during the melee later died at a hospital. A second woman and two men died from what Metropolitan Police Dept. Chief Robert Contee called “medical emergencies,” without specifying their nature.”
“Together, we must intentionally pause and pray for peace in this critical moment,” Cardinal Gregory said. “The divisive tone that has recently so dominated our national conversations must change. Those who resort to inflammatory rhetoric must accept some responsibility for inciting the increasing violence in our nation.”
WASHINGTON (CNS) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi referenced the Epiphany, St. Francis of Assisi, and also uttered a prayer as the House of Representatives reconvened the night of Jan. 6 to confirm the Electoral College win of President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. in the November presidential election. The count had been interrupted by hundreds of marauders who breached the Capitol that afternoon, bringing the count to a halt.
"Today, Jan. 6, is the feast of the Epiphany,” when the Christ Child was first revealed as a human beyond Mary and St. Joseph," Pelosi, said. “On this day of revelation, let us pray that this instigation to violence will provide an epiphany for our country to heal.”
In that spirit of healing, I evoke the song of Saint Francis. I usually do. St. Francis is the patron saint of my city of San Francisco, and song of St. Francis is our anthem: ‘Lord, make me a channel of thy peace. Where there is darkness, may you bring light. Where there is hatred, let us bring love. Where there is despair, let us bring hope.'”
Later, near the end of her remarks, Pelosi, who is Catholic, said: “So on this holy day of Epiphany, let us pray. I’m a big believer in prayer. Let us pray that there will be peace on earth and that it will begin with us. Let us pray that God will continue to bless America with that.”
Reaction by Catholic leaders to the Capitol breach — the most serious since the British burned down the building in 1814 during the War of 1812 — was swift.
“I join my brother U.S. bishops in condemning the violence we witnessed today in our nation’s capital and condemning the events and rhetoric leading to the mob violence,” said a Jan. 6 tweet from Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis that was posted on the Twitter feed of the St. Louis Review, the archdiocesan newspaper.
“The Gospel itself is a full-throated and stern warning against mob action,” said a Jan. 6 tweet from Bishop Daniel E. Flores of Brownsville, Texas. “If institutions of order & lawful transitions of authority are systematically deconstructed & trampled upon by factional self-interests, it leads to just that, a mob. Let the elected govern.”
“Let’s pray for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris as they prepare to serve our nation in their elected offices,” said a Jan. 7 tweet from Bishop Michael F. Olson of Fort Worth, Texas. “Let us ask the Lord for peace and the order of right reason during this transition.”
In praying for those engulfed in the violence at the Capitol, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory of Washington — in whose archdiocese the Capitol is located — said: “There are injuries and tremendous harm, including reports about the loss of life.” A woman shot inside the Capitol during the melee later died at a hospital. A second woman and two men died from what Metropolitan Police Dept. Chief Robert Contee called “medical emergencies,” without specifying their nature.”
“Together, we must intentionally pause and pray for peace in this critical moment,” Cardinal Gregory said. “The divisive tone that has recently so dominated our national conversations must change. Those who resort to inflammatory rhetoric must accept some responsibility for inciting the increasing violence in our nation.”