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The price a Catholic pays for being in the public arena

pearl

Well-Known Member
I remember when the same action was taken against John Kerry, denying of the Eucharist. What the bishop in this case is advocating is single issue voting.

From the article;
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco is barring Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion in his archdiocese. Ms. Pelosi, a life-long Catholic, has recently vowed to codify Roe v. Wade, in order to preserve a legal right to abortion in case the Supreme Court overturns the decision that legalized abortion in the United States.

“Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s position on abortion has become only more extreme over the years, especially in the last few months,” Archbishop Cordileone said in a statement May 20. “Just earlier this month she once again, as she has many times before, explicity raised her Catholic faith while justifying abortion as a ‘choice,’ this time explicitly setting herself in opposition to Pope Francis.”

Last fall, Archbishop Cordileone organized a prayer and fasting campaign for Ms. Pelosi. “A conversion of heart of the majority of our congressional representatives is needed on this issue, beginning with the leader of the House,” he said in a statement Sept. 29. “I am therefore inviting all Catholics to join in a massive and visible campaign of prayer and fasting for Speaker Pelosi: Commit to praying one rosary a week and fasting on Fridays for her conversion of heart.”

Pope Francis has said that he has never denied Communion to anyone. “When the church, in order to defend a principle, acts in a non-pastoral way, it takes sides on the political plane. It has always been so,” Francis said last September on the flight back to Rome from Bratislava. “Be a pastor. Don’t go condemning.”

Archbishop bars Nancy Pelosi from Communion in her home diocese, citing ‘aggressive’ defense of abortion rights | America Magazine
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Are we speaking of the same Nancy D'Alesandro who had this stance on late-term abortions?
Pelosi Statement on Supreme Court's Decision on Late-Term Abortions

I am sorry, if one wants to be a representative of a secular state where there is the separation of Church and State, they need to pay the price. And that price includes to be excluded from certain religious practices by your Bishop.

Not only her. I too would be barred from Communion by my Bishop, if I were a staunch late-term abortions apologist and an active politician, upholding abortion.

If I decided to defend abortion as a right (and I do defend it), I would be disposed to pay the price to renounce Communion all my life long.
You cannot have the cake and eat it. The separation of State and Church implies a choice.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I remember when the same action was taken against John Kerry, denying of the Eucharist. What the bishop in this case is advocating is single issue voting.

From the article;
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco is barring Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion in his archdiocese. Ms. Pelosi, a life-long Catholic, has recently vowed to codify Roe v. Wade, in order to preserve a legal right to abortion in case the Supreme Court overturns the decision that legalized abortion in the United States.

“Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s position on abortion has become only more extreme over the years, especially in the last few months,” Archbishop Cordileone said in a statement May 20. “Just earlier this month she once again, as she has many times before, explicity raised her Catholic faith while justifying abortion as a ‘choice,’ this time explicitly setting herself in opposition to Pope Francis.”

Last fall, Archbishop Cordileone organized a prayer and fasting campaign for Ms. Pelosi. “A conversion of heart of the majority of our congressional representatives is needed on this issue, beginning with the leader of the House,” he said in a statement Sept. 29. “I am therefore inviting all Catholics to join in a massive and visible campaign of prayer and fasting for Speaker Pelosi: Commit to praying one rosary a week and fasting on Fridays for her conversion of heart.”

Pope Francis has said that he has never denied Communion to anyone. “When the church, in order to defend a principle, acts in a non-pastoral way, it takes sides on the political plane. It has always been so,” Francis said last September on the flight back to Rome from Bratislava. “Be a pastor. Don’t go condemning.”

Archbishop bars Nancy Pelosi from Communion in her home diocese, citing ‘aggressive’ defense of abortion rights | America Magazine

So, it's just in that particular diocese? And Pope Francis says that he never denies Communion to anyone. I guess she could go to another diocese. I'm no Pelosi fan, but it seems this Archbishop is being ridiculous, possibly looking for a way to get into the limelight.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
I remember when the same action was taken against John Kerry, denying of the Eucharist. What the bishop in this case is advocating is single issue voting.

From the article;
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco is barring Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion in his archdiocese. Ms. Pelosi, a life-long Catholic, has recently vowed to codify Roe v. Wade, in order to preserve a legal right to abortion in case the Supreme Court overturns the decision that legalized abortion in the United States.

“Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi’s position on abortion has become only more extreme over the years, especially in the last few months,” Archbishop Cordileone said in a statement May 20. “Just earlier this month she once again, as she has many times before, explicity raised her Catholic faith while justifying abortion as a ‘choice,’ this time explicitly setting herself in opposition to Pope Francis.”

Last fall, Archbishop Cordileone organized a prayer and fasting campaign for Ms. Pelosi. “A conversion of heart of the majority of our congressional representatives is needed on this issue, beginning with the leader of the House,” he said in a statement Sept. 29. “I am therefore inviting all Catholics to join in a massive and visible campaign of prayer and fasting for Speaker Pelosi: Commit to praying one rosary a week and fasting on Fridays for her conversion of heart.”

Pope Francis has said that he has never denied Communion to anyone. “When the church, in order to defend a principle, acts in a non-pastoral way, it takes sides on the political plane. It has always been so,” Francis said last September on the flight back to Rome from Bratislava. “Be a pastor. Don’t go condemning.”

Archbishop bars Nancy Pelosi from Communion in her home diocese, citing ‘aggressive’ defense of abortion rights | America Magazine
The bishop thinks taking a political stance helps against his congregation haemorrhaging members. It works with the Baptists but may backfire with Catholics. Despite many of them being very conservative he may underestimate how progressive the "silent majority" is.
 

Shadow Wolf

Certified People sTabber
So, it's just in that particular diocese? And Pope Francis says that he never denies Communion to anyone. I guess she could go to another diocese. I'm no Pelosi fan, but it seems this Archbishop is being ridiculous, possibly looking for a way to get into the limelight.
Yeah, I thought that stuff was supposed to be kept private anyways.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
So, it's just in that particular diocese? And Pope Francis says that he never denies Communion to anyone. I guess she could go to another diocese. I'm no Pelosi fan, but it seems this Archbishop is being ridiculous, possibly looking for a way to get into the limelight.
If I understood correctly she lives on the East Coast, most of the time.
Right?
 
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Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
The bishop thinks taking a political stance helps against his congregation haemorrhaging members. It works with the Baptists but may backfire with Catholics. Despite many of them being very conservative he may underestimate how progressive the "silent majority" is.

As far as I know, the United States Evangelical Church is against abortion.
So is the RCC.
 
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Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
If I understood correctly she lives in the East Coast, most of the time.
Right?

Well, her home district is in California, but yes, representatives and senators typically have homes in the DC area and probably spend more time there than in their home state.
 

Heyo

Veteran Member
As far as I know, the United States Evangelical Church is against abortion.
So the RCC is too.
"A recent Marist poll for the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic organization, gives us some relevant data. Self-described Catholics are closely split on whether they describe themselves as pro-choice (49 percent) or pro-life (48 percent). “Practicing Catholics” are heavily on the pro-life side (64 to 33 percent). Non-practicing Catholics are nearly a mirror image (64 to 34 percent pro-choice)." from What the Polls Say about Catholics and Abortion | National Review
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
"A recent Marist poll for the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic organization, gives us some relevant data. Self-described Catholics are closely split on whether they describe themselves as pro-choice (49 percent) or pro-life (48 percent). “Practicing Catholics” are heavily on the pro-life side (64 to 33 percent). Non-practicing Catholics are nearly a mirror image (64 to 34 percent pro-choice)." from What the Polls Say about Catholics and Abortion | National Review

This makes sense.
But it is not all black and white. There are so many shades inbetween. Between being inflexibly anti-abortion and being for late-term abortions.

I know no Catholic who is for late-term abortions.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
I remember when the same action was taken against John Kerry, denying of the Eucharist. What the bishop in this case is advocating is single issue voting.
I'm sorry, pearl. I feel like this is what happened to the protestants here (from the 1850s to the 1970s) which then spread to you catholics. Perhaps you'd benefit from reading up on the division which happened here and which has spread to you. Essentially the Christians here focused on 2 major goals. One group focused upon maintaining a correct view of scripture, and it was this group which divided almost every church and caused ten thousand church divisions. I say group but it was more of a movement. This divided the church here into the fundamentalists and the liberals while doing absolutely nothing to help the country, the poor, anything really. It was a dead movement focused upon scriptural correctness only, promising everything and delivering nothing. Now that same storm is headed for your group, and you may want to look into how we mishandled the situation but also look into the rare exceptions for inspiration. Some churches didn't divide and some even maintained both fundamentalists and liberals. How did they do it? I don't know, but it might be a good idea to find out.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
He is not ridiculous.
He just reminds Catholics that one cannot wear a mask inside the Lord's house.

Yes, but why make such a public, grandstand play like that? Seems motivated more by political reasons than anything related to one's devotion to God.

And why take a stance just on this issue? Has the Church ever denied Communion to any Catholic politicians who vote for war? What about those who support big banking and corporate greed?

Maybe if the churches took a more righteous stance on these things, they might get more people in the pews.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Yes, but why make such a public, grandstand play like that? Seems motivated more by political reasons than anything related to one's devotion to God.

And why take a stance just on this issue? Has the Church ever denied Communion to any Catholic politicians who vote for war? What about those who support big banking and corporate greed?

Maybe if the churches took a more righteous stance on these things, they might get more people in the pews.

Catholic priests and bishops already do that, I can promise you that:).
I must have heard tens of homilies against greed and social injustice, in my life.

Nancy D'Alesandro is not the first politician to whom a Catholic Bishop denied Communion.

And by the way, the Pope has refused to meet Salvini. If the Pope can take this kind of decision, so can the Archbishop of San Francisco.
 

Stevicus

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
Catholic priests and bishops already do that, I can promise you that:).
I must have heard tens of homilies against greed and social injustice, in my life.

Nancy D'Alesandro is not the first politician to whom a Catholic Bishop denied Communion.

And by the way, the Pope has refused to meet Salvini. If the Pope can take this kind of decision, so can the Archbishop of San Francisco.

Yes, but do they ever deny a politician communion based on greed and social injustice?
 

Left Coast

This Is Water
Staff member
Premium Member
So, it's just in that particular diocese? And Pope Francis says that he never denies Communion to anyone. I guess she could go to another diocese. I'm no Pelosi fan, but it seems this Archbishop is being ridiculous, possibly looking for a way to get into the limelight.

It's the Archdiocese which covers multiple Bay Area counties. She could probably still go to a parish in Washington when she's there, depending on who the priest is.
 

Estro Felino

Believer in free will
Premium Member
Yes, but do they ever deny a politician communion based on greed and social injustice?

This is put into the priest/bishop's conscience.
It is up to them.
I know for sure that in Sicily bishops have barred mobsters from the Communion...so...we can say that those criminals are certainly greedy.
 
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