愛污传媒

Skip to main content

U.S. House Speaker Pelosi barred from Catholic communion over abortion stance

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., reads from the Bible, as she reacts to President Donald Trump during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., reads from the Bible, as she reacts to President Donald Trump during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 2, 2020. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Share

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can no longer take communion because she supports abortion rights and also publicly invokes her Catholic faith, the archbishop of San Francisco said in a letter released on Friday.

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said in an open letter addressed to Pelosi and in another directed toward the faithful that "Pelosi's position on abortion has become only more extreme over the years, especially in the last few months."

Pelosi's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The archbishop's decision comes after the leak earlier this month of a draft Supreme Court opinion indicating the top court would strike down the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Cordileone said Pelosi had not responded to his requests to meet in the months since she pledged to codify abortion protections in federal law after lawmakers in conservative states passed near total-bans on abortions at the state level.

The archbishop said he sent Pelosi a private letter in April, warning that he would bar her from communion unless she publicly repudiated her support for abortion rights or stopped referring to her Catholic faith in public.

Cordileone highlighted comments Pelosi made to the Seattle Times editorial board this month, citing her Catholic faith and support for abortion rights, then said: "They say to me, 'Nancy Pelosi thinks she knows more about having babies than the Pope.' Yes I do. Are you stupid?"

In his letter to the faithful, Cordileone wrote that "my action here is purely pastoral, not political."

"Speaker Pelosi remains our sister in Christ," the archbishop wrote. "Her advocacy for the care of the poor and vulnerable elicits my admiration."

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING

BREAKING

Four people are dead and another is in hospital following a fiery crash in downtown Toronto that happened overnight on Lake Shore Boulevard.

A haunted house in the Ontario Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

BREAKING

BREAKING

Quebec鈥檚 Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

Local Spotlight

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.