Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Nancy Pelosi Scandalizes Catholic Church
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi the new Speaker of the House from the Democratic Party which she represents from the 8th district of San Francisco is engaging in a series of week long activities to celebrate her taking the Speaker of the House position. One of these activities includes a Mass at Trinity University. This is especially scandalous.
Why?
When this congresswoman declares herself not only a Catholic, but a pro-life Catholic, yet takes each and every opportunity to shoot down pro-life legislation and vote for every pro-choice (pro-abortion) legislation, this causes a scandal within the Catholic Church. To make it worse, she will be attending a high-profile Mass in Washington, DC. This is simply outrageous and makes it even more scandalous.
Someone needs to take her aside and explain to her that her actions speak louder than words, especially in a high profile position that is the Speaker of the House position. Someone needs to point out to her what the late Pope John Paul II said in Evangelium Vitae:
. . . the fact of the destruction of so many human lives still to be born or in their final stage extremely grave and disturbing, but no less grave and disturbing is the fact that conscience itself, darkened as it were by such widespread conditioning, is finding it increasingly difficult to distinguish between good and evil in what concerns the basic value of human life. (Evangelium Vitae, #4)What Speaker Pelosi has is an inconsistent Life Ethic. You cannot be pro-life and still vote anti-life (pro-abortion/pro-choice).
The common outcry, which is justly made on behalf of human rights—for example, the right to health, to home, to work, to family, to culture—is false and illusory if the right to life, the most basic and fundamental right and the condition for all other personal rights, is not defended with maximum determination (Christifideles Laici, no. 38).Then Cardinal Ratzinger wrote a letter titled "Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion," which explained in great detail the difference in moral weight between a wage increase and abortion:
"Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia. For example, if a Catholic were to be at odds with the Holy Father on the application of capital punishment or on the decision to wage way, he would not for that reason be considered unworthy to present himself to receive Holy Communion. While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia." (Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion)Which brings us back to the 'gratuitous' Mass that Speaker Pelosi will be attending this week. She brings scandal by her actions which don't support her words of holding Catholic teachings to heart. Is Speaker Nancy Pelosi worthy to receive Holy Communion. The simple and correct answer is "no". For a great article by Judie Brown of Human Events about Mrs. Pelosi click here. For another great article about Catholic politicians by Mark Brumley of Ignatius Insight click here. For the Evangelium Vitae Encyclical by Pope John Paul II click here. For a previous posting of mine related to Mrs. Nancy Pelosi and other 'alleged' Catholic politicians click here.
(photo: AP / 7 News Boston)
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10 comments:
This is not only scandalous, it undermines the authority of the Church, particularly in terms of moral authority. I'm unsure why the Bishops don't more forcefully list and ban evil, twisted politicians like Pelosi from receiving communion, it's quite puzzling. I am coming to suspect that they either can't speak with one voice because of disagreement with themselves and are thus forced to adhere to some compromise position or that, in the alternative, they fear a hardline stance will force a schism between the "American" Liberal Cafeteria Catholic Church and the Orthodox, Roman Catholic Church in the United States. That schism, apparently long overdue seems to have been dodged of late by the slow, quite drift of the Church back to it's roots and the movement of many of the Anti-Roman Catholics out of the church in disgust. Further, as U.S. politics drifts ever to the Left, and the Liberal Atheist Literati become more vocal in their anti-Christian attacks, the Bishops may fear the resurection of the old charge that "Roman Catholics" first allegience is to the Pope in Rome rather than to the U.S. Whatever the ultimate outcome, I suspect this is only going to get much worse.
They "eat and drink judgement upon himself." 1 Cor. 11:29.
It is not for us to judge them, whether they have discerned it in their hearts before receiving. They could have received reconciliation before receiving the Eucharist, but we don't know that. It's not likely, but it is possible. That is why most bishops won't deny the Eucharist to anyone. Remember that we are sinners, too. And as long as we reconcile ourselves with the Church and with God, then we can receive the Eucharist.
Mike Ambro.
I agree with you wholeheartedly.
Pelosi does not even have a clue about the Sacrament of Reconciliation, let alone receiving the Eucharist.
www.reyfloresamerica.blogspot.com
I think it is along the same lines why Priests molest little boys. They say one thing about how bad it is and then do it anyway.
i agree chuck taht the catholics need to get their own house in order before they start trying to tell everyone else what to do.
Mike Ames,
Not sure what you meant by 'the catholics', but the Church itself is the Bride of Christ, ergo, perfect.
As far as those who practice the Catholic faith, we are all human and make mistakes. But because of free will we make our own decisions. Thusly when individuals such as Nancy Pelosi deliberatly not follow Catholic teaching, then postings such as these and hopefully corrective action by their bishops will follow.
Chuck,
I agree. Though to characterize, as your statement implies, that all priests molest little boys is disingenuous.
A fraction of the priesthood have had homosexual relationships. That is the problem of the Church not properly screening candidates to the priesthood against those with clinical homosexual disorders.
You are much more safer leaving your child with a priest than your average school teacher.
I do think I'd take my chances with the school teacher.
Chuck,
God bless you.
The chances of a school teacher molesting a child are 10X greater than a priest.
Good luck and Godspeed!
Tito
Part of the problem about the abuse issue is that people don't often know what they're talking about. Tito gets it though, I think.
The problem was never with "children," if by children you mean pre-adolescents, those that pedophiles prey upon. The problem was largely post-pubescent teenagers, mostly boys, of which there is actually a direct correlation between homosexuality and abuse.
Either way, I'd ask Chuck how much time he's spent lately praying for priests.
I'd ask Mike Ames when, exactly, the Church has ever had its own house in order.
Napoleon once told Cardinal Richelieu that he intended to destroy the Church. "Cardinals have tried to destroy the Church for years," Richelieu replied, "and have not succeeded."
The Church, however, knows the truth and preaches it freely. That we in our human weakness often fail to live up to the standards of God (and honestly, who the hell does that surprise?) is secondary. The Church is for saints and sinners.
The problem with Mike Ambro's point is that if Nancy were to come out of the confessional with a truly contrite heart, she'd have to renounce public support of abortion. It's always problematic when you go in to the confessional and say, "Man, I'm sorry I did this, but I'm going to keep on doing it." It's not exactly compulsion, weakness, or addiction that leads Pelosi toward maintaining that perfect 100% NARAL rating.
I've read that Nancy is a faithful daily Mass attendee. I'm genuinely happy to hear it. One can only hope, however, that her time at prayer leads to genuine conversion.