"Catholic" Speaker Pelosi Denies that Catholicism Condemns Abortion

LifeSiteNews ^ | Monday August 25, 2008 | John Jalsevac

[Antioch]

In an appearance on the NBC program Meet the Press on Sunday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a self-professed Catholic, denied that the Catholic Church condemns abortion.

Referring to Barack Obama's now-notorious answer to Pastor Rick Warren to the question of when life begins, Meet the Press moderator Tom Brokaw asked Pelosi, "Senator Obama saying the question of when life begins is above his pay grade…If he were to come to you and say, 'Help me out here, Madame Speaker. When does life begin?' what would you tell him?"

Pelosi responded by sidestepping the question, appealing to her Catholic faith as the source of her uncertainty.

"I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time," she said. "And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition. And Senator - St. Augustine said at three months. We don't know."

Pelosi then said that in her view the question of when life begins is a non-issue in the debate on abortion.

"The point is, is that it shouldn't have an impact on the woman's right to choose. Roe v. Wade talks about very clear definitions of when the child - first trimester, certain considerations; second trimester; not so third trimester. There's very clear distinctions. This isn't about abortion on demand, it's about a careful, careful consideration of all factors and - to - that a woman has to make with her doctor and her god."

Brokaw continued to press Pelosi on the question, observing, "The Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly that it… begins at the point of conception."

Pelosi again side-stepped the question, suggesting that the Church's current position is only a recent position and that "over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy."

The President of the Catholic League, Bill Donohue, responded to Pelosi's statements on Meet the Press, observing that the Church's position on abortion is clear beyond any doubt. "Here is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: 'Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception.'"

He continued, "It also says, 'Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.' Looks like Pelosi didn't study the subject long enough. But not to worry: We are sending her a copy of Catholicism for Dummies today."

Kathryn Jean Lopez, the online editor of National Review, quipped, "It's the blind leading the blind in that party if the 'ardent practicing Catholic' doesn't care when life begins, only that women have the choice to do what they 'choose' (sometimes, thanks to people like Pelosi, not aware of what their choices actually are) whether it's life or not."

Pelosi concluded her appearance by contradicting another doctrine of the Catholic Church by advocating contraception. Contraception is officially condemned by the Catholic Church as "intrinsically evil."

"My Republican colleagues do not support contraception. If you want to reduce the number of abortions, and we all do, we must - it would behoove you to support family planning and, and contraception, you would think," she said. "But that is not the case."

[Antioch]

You can't be a Pelosi and a Catholic at the same time. I never realized how disturbed and evil this woman was

When life begins is a non-issue in the debate on abortion? It shouldn't have an impact on the woman's right to choose?

[Artemis Webb]

Her Bishop just needs to bitch slap her.

[SMARTY]

Didn’t I see her in a photo, meeting the pope? She was being very deferential.... maybe if they are on speaking terms, he can politely refresh her memory on the basics of Catholicism. Heck, I am not even Catholic and I understand that one!

[Antioch]

Here she is lying in living color.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwUSt7dfj5I

“Can’t reduce abortions without contraception” Oh yes, that’s ardent Catholicism, rat-style

[Northern Yankee]

Pelosi should be excommunicated.

I don't say this lightly. She has just brought scandal to the church, and if the church doesn't take action it creates even more confusion to the average Catholic.

[Always Right]

Pelosi: “Is the Pope Catholic?”

[Northern Yankee]

One wonders if she even knows the Apostle Creed?

[Notwithstanding]

She is begging for a showdown with the Vatican, hoping people will then condemn the Church’s meddling in the US presidential election.

[Ransomed]

“Her Bishop just needs to bitch slap her.”

He’d cut his hand on her mug. So what really needs to happen is that she needs to be called out as excommunicated (even though she already is by her own actions) for not only supporting baby butchery, and publicly claiming that support of baby butchery is perfectly fine with Church teaching.

Freegards

[Mr. Binnacle]

Grounds for excommunication?
Excommunication, in the sense of a formal proceeding, is not a penalty at all but simply a formal proclamation of a pre-existing condition in a more or less prominent member of the Roman Catholic Church. When such a person commits acts that in themselves separate him from the communion of the Faithful, particularly when by word, deed, or example he "spreads division and confusion among the Faithful", it is necessary for the Church to clarify the situation by means of a formal announcement, which informs the laity that this is not a person to follow, and notifies the clergy that this person, by his own willful acts, has separated himself from the Church and is no longer to receive the sacraments, with the exception of Reconciliation.
The decree may also indicate the mode of Reconciliation required for re-entry into the Church, specifying whether the local bishop may administer the process or it is reserved to the Pope. Excommunication is never a merely "vindictive penalty" (designed solely to punish). It is always used as a "medicinal penalty" intended to pressure the person into changing their behaviour or statements, repent and return to full communion.

[ozzymandus]

Why doesn't the Catholic Church excommunicate pro-abortion politicians who pretend to be practicing Catholics? This has been going on for over 30 years, and the church does nothing. And why don't they even remove a political radical like Pfleger from the pulpit? I see more hypocrisy from the Catholic church than from even the left-leaning denominations.

[tpanther]

godless liberals are a piece of work!

[paguch]

Please keep in mind that virtually every Democrat “Catholic” Senator supports abortion and most promote abortion. The Bishops know this and silently, except for occasional lip service, do nothing.

Will any of the 17 Democrat Senators be admonished and sanctioned by the Catholic Church? Will they be denied Catholic Rites? I don’t think so.

The Bishops speak in unison about Illegal Immigration. They are silent when Catholis politicann openly defy the Pope. Keep giving in the pews.

[Unam Sanctam]

Here’s a discussion and refutation of Pelosi as an historical, theological matter:

http://catholidoxy.blogspot.com/2008/08/pelosi-on-mtp-catholic-tradition-vague.html

[Alex Murphy]

Her Bishop just needs to bitch slap her.

Now that's funny! Her archbishop at home is George Niederauer; now infamous for allowing the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to receive the Eucharist and for defending itself for doing the same , and Pelosi's archbishop in Washington DC is Donald Wuerl...who has been savaged by conservative Catholics for refusing to bar pro-choice Catholics such as Kerry and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from the Communion rail. I wouldn't hold my breath.

"Where the bishop is, there is the Catholic church."

[Holicheese]

hey lets all leave poor 9% nancy alone. Maybe she wasn’t in church that day when this info was gone over. Maybe they handed out a memo and she never got it...

I mean Barack was not in church that day that his pastor called it the “USA of KKK” etc...

[SaintDismas]

And I’m not sure about Rush’s show today, which I caught at the end of his taking issue with Pelosi on this. He was very immpassioned like always, but tell someone if I’m wrong here, but I thought he took “Doctors of the Church” as we Catholics understand to be merely medical doctors who happened to be Catholic. If so, one of his Catholic friends will contact him tonight and set him straight.

Nevertheless, it doesn’t one whit change his basic point that in no way ever has or does in any instance the Catholic church consider abortion ever having been controversial or up for discussion as optional.

[steve86]

You have to keep in mind that many of the left-leaning Catholic Bishops have de facto formed their own schismatic liberal variant of Catholicism, both in terms of rubrics and morality. Evidently, tolerance of blatant violations of traditional, core tenets of the Magisterium is a central value of theirs.

[Nubbin]

This is the new breed of heretic. Heresy for the 21st century—no need to try to justify or attempt to explain your heresy just say the church does not condemn _________ (insert heresy).

She makes me sick.

[SaintDismas]

arrggghhh!!! what I meant to say “will someone tell me”