A group of Catholic priests has publicly called on Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to either adhere to the basic teachings of Catholicism regarding abortion or publicly and formally renounce her faith, as reported by the pro-life news portal Life Site News.
Father Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, has sent the San Francisco Democrat an open letter stating in no uncertain terms that Pelosi either defend the lives of unborn children as the Catholic Church requires of all adherents or “have the honesty” to “formally renounce” her Catholic faith.
As the most powerful Democrat in the House of Representatives, Pelosi earlier this month referred to herself as a “practicing and respectful Catholic.” But she went on to qualify her Catholicism by stating that any discussion of abortion is “sacred ground to me.”
The official teaching of the Catholic Church concerning abortion follows:
Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion.
This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.
Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.
Not quite finished with the long-time supporter of abortion and self-proclaimed loyal daughter of The Church, Fr. Pavone left called Pelosi out over her oft-used liberal cliché of referring to abortion as “sacred ground”:
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.
And I speak for countless Catholics when I say that it’s time for you to stop speaking as if it were.
In the “Spirit” of…
Since the theological and social liberalization that has washed over the Catholic Church since the Second Vatican Council held during the turbulent 1960s, the chances of any meaningful action taken against Pelosi by the hierarchy is highly doubtful. However, there has been a pénalty en masse meted out by Rome in recent memory.
Always known as being virulently anti-Communist, few know that Pope Venerable Pius XII issued in 1949 a Writ of Excommunication against millions of Catholics world-wide who promoted:
The materialistic and anti-Christian doctrine of the Communists, and particularly those who defend or propagate this doctrine…
Venerable Pius XII used as his rationale for the excommunications the same reasoning many traditional Catholics believe “progressive” and pro-abortion Catholics deserve the same canonical punishment:
The leaders of the Communists, although they sometimes profess in words that they do not oppose religion, do in fact show themselves, both in their teaching and in their actions, to be the enemies of God, of the true religion and of the Church of Christ.
The Vatican expanded on the Writ in the latter years of the pontificate of Venerable Pius XII, to include:
- Membership in communist parties.
- The excommunication of Bishop Dechet.
- Membership in Communist youth organizations.
- Usurpation of Church functions by the State.
- Illegitimate state ordered ordinations of bishops.
- Publications favoring totalitarian Communism
