The Pelosi Problem

The Pelosi Problem | George Neumayr, editor of Catholic World Report | April 2007

San Francisco Archbishop George Niederauer gave an interview to KCBS radio in February that left Catholics stunned. Asked about his approach to Nancy Pelosi, the U.S. Speaker of the House whose support for legal abortion is notorious despite her avowed Catholicism, the archbishop replied: “…We haven’t had an opportunity to talk about the life issues. I would very much welcome that opportunity, but I don’t believe that I am in a position to say what I understand her stand to be…”       

This answer, even by modern standards of episcopal evasion, is astonishing. At least Father John K. Ring, Nancy Pelosi’s pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Church in San Francisco, didn’t play dumb when I put the Pelosi question to him recently. He knows perfectly well where she stands on abortion and simply doesn’t care.

“She is a fine woman,” Father Ring told CWR. “She is a good parishioner.” He dismissed out of hand the problem of scandal Pelosi’s reception of Communion causes. “Jesus Christ wasn’t scandalized by Peter abandoning him,” he said casually.

Read the entire editorial...

Comments

[Robert Miller]

This is a splendid editorial.

While bishops' conferences in Mexico and throughout Latin America, in Spain, Italy and Portugal -- and even in England, Scotland and Ireland! -- are going to war with the politicians in their countries who support the culture of death, US bishops avert their eyes (as they have for four decades) from the allegiance of avowedly "Catholic" politicians to that culture.

Aren't we at the place where US bishops must join their Scottish brethren in instructing the faithful that they must vote against candidates of a party that opposes the rights of the unborn and the family? Or what about the Portuguese bishops' flat declaration that that country's abortion law has no legal standing (no Catholic can "enforce" it or acquiesce in its enforcement). After 34 years, are the US bishops still unable to muster the courage (or conviction?) to say the same?

I think the US bishops actually would like to see Pelosi and her fellow Democrats succeed because they feel uncomfortable with the fervor of the witness of Bush and many Republicans to Christian faith and morals.

Can you imagine the Party of the Right or its leader, in any European country (except maybe Poland), calling the legislature into special session to try to save a woman from being starved and dehydrated to death by physicians; pushing and signing a law to ban the most heinous forms of abortion; making sure that there was a majority of professing Catholics on the supreme judicial council that would decide on the ban's "constitutionality; praising the value of Catholic schools?

The question answers itself.

The Republicans obviously have their Giulianis and Patakis (latter-day Rockefeller Republicans), but collectively they've got a moral compass (if they can keep it) that virtually no other Party of the Right in the world has.

I think the US hierarchy needs to go "beyond" excommunication, to the "Scottish verdict": that Catholics must vote against candidates of any party that publicly opposes the rights of the unborn and of the natural and sacramental family.

I think that would do a lot more to get people's attention. (Of course, I also think the miscreants should be denied Communion, by order of the bishops).

[Jeannine]

Why, oh why, do the bishops seem more interested in being good Democrats than in serving the poorest of the poor--the unborn? I just can't understand it.

[Jackson]

Neumayr's excellent editorials have played a huge part in my keeping my CWR subscription. I had decided to let it lapse for a year to catch up on some back reading, but Neumayr won't let me!

[Ed S]

How can a parent argue the moral issues against abortion with a teen daughter who uses the public statements and behavior of her pastor (and archbishop) as evidence that her dad is "out of it ... old fashion."

"That was the old church, Dad!"

How can a pastor, charged with the spiritual leadership of his parish, give such tacit approval for abortion to a young woman that he has baptized and given first holy communion? What a sad state of affairs.

Does this pastor understand the full consequences of his moral paucity? ... On the unborn child, the young woman, her family, her parish (his part of the body of Christ), the entire body of Christ, and his own soul. And of course, these consequences accrue as a second and third young woman of his parish are likewise influenced by his approval of abortion.

I pray daily for him and his counterparts through the Church. Prevail, Love's Power, over our wills.

[Margaret]

Why are our bishops and pastors so concerned with upsetting Catholic parishoners by taking a stand on moral issues?

Re: Pelosi, a Catholic Senator who supports abortion. She joins a long list of Catholic Senators who are openly pro-abortion. To name a few: Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, Tom Harken, Christopher Dodd, Susan Collins, Patrick Leahy (and former Senators Tom Daschle and John Kerry) -- all Democrats, I might add.

[Patrick]

Indeed. If this is the bishop's standard for communion, there is no longer any reason to bar people who divorce and re-marry. For that matter, why should people to confess before mass? It is obviously okay to receive the Lord with mortal sin on your soul.

[Rick]

"To name a few: Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, Tom Harken, Christopher Dodd, Susan Collins, Patrick Leahy (and former Senators Tom Daschle and John Kerry) -- all Democrats, I might add."

Terri, well said, with Pelosi these politicians have decided to render unto Caesar, or in this case the Democratic Party, what is God's, and some bishops have decided to play the role of the Sadducees by appeasing Caesar as well.

[Rick]

Sorry, the last thread should begin, "Margaret, well said." My apologies!