Four Roman Catholic bishops have backed the archbishop of San Francisco's decision to deny House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) Communion in her diocese because of her pro-abortion stance.
Pelosi, whose congressional district includes parts of the city, received a letter from Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone earlier this month prohibiting her from receiving the sacrament "until you publicly repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and confess and receive absolution of this grave sin in the sacrament of Penance."
House Speaker Banned From Receiving Communion
Pelosi's impassioned reaction to a draft Supreme Court opinion that suggested the justices were on the approach of overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion across the country, prompted Cordileone's revelation.
Cordileone's approach has now been adopted by three additional dioceses. Bishop Robert Vasa of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, which borders Cordileone's, excluded Pelosi from Communion on the same day Cordileone wrote his letter to her.
Both Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, and Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, followed suit. Pelosi also commended protestors who gathered outside the residences of conservative justices following the disclosure of Justice Samuel Alito's draft ruling, according to NY Post.
Because of his stance on abortion, a handful of hardline bishops began pressing last year to prevent President Joe Biden, a devoted Catholic, from taking Communion. Biden has stated that while he opposes abortion, he believes that women should be entitled to make their own decisions without government intervention.
In October 2021, the president met Pope Francis in the Vatican. While Biden stated that the two did not address abortion, he stated that the pontiff advised him to keep receiving Communion.
Nancy Pelosi Defends Abortion Stance
Pelosi has always supported abortion, which the Catholic Church considers a terrible sin that violates the commandment "thou shalt not kill." Last week, Pelosi defended her abortion support, claiming that abortion is a "frontman" for undoing access to contraception and in vitro fertilization. She also chastised the Catholic Church for failing to act against Catholics who favor the death sentence, Fox News reported.
On May 22, Pelosi received Communion during Mass at Holy Trinity in Washington, DC's Georgetown area. The Archdiocese of Washington, DC, has been silent on the recent ban, except for replying incorrectly to a media query by saying that requests about preventing Pelosi from Communion "would be disregarded."
Pope Francis promoted the San Diego bishop, who has spoken out against attempts to prohibit pro-choice politicians from the Holy Sacrament, adding to the debate over Pelosi's exclusion from Communion.
According to HuffPost, Pelosi reacted last week to San Francisco Catholic Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone's claim that she is prohibited from receiving Communion because of her support for abortion rights.
While the church opposes the death sentence, Pelosi stated they "take no action against anyone who may not share their position" on the subject. "What makes it so sad... It's important for women and families to understand that this isn't only about terminating a pregnancy," Pelosi added.
Related Article : Why Was Nancy Pelosi's Husband Arrested, Jailed in California?
