Archbp. applies can. 915 to Pelosi: until PUBLIC regret for supporting abortion, no Communion

Will this put calcium and testosterone into the bishops’ conference?

First, what does can. 915 really say? HERE

From CNA:

Archbishop Cordileone tells priests that Nancy Pelosi Communion denial is ‘pastoral, not political’

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone took extra pains Friday to explain to priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco his decision barring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion because of her advocacy of abortion.

In a May 20 letter addressed priests of the archdiocese, Cordileone explained that his instruction is nothing but the application of the Church’s teaching. The archbishop addressed a separate letter to the laity.

“There are those who speak of such actions as I am taking as ‘weaponizing’ the Eucharist. However, this is simply application of Church teaching. One would have to demonstrate that a person’s actions in following Church teaching is explicitly for a political purpose in order to justify the accusation of ‘weaponizing’ the Eucharist,” the archbishop wrote. “I have been very clear all along, in both my words and my actions, that my motive is pastoral, not political.”

He added “that one can also violate Church teaching and take Holy Communion for a political purpose as well, thus ‘weaponizing’ the Eucharist for one’s own ulterior motives.”

Cordileone had notified Pelosi, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a resident of the archdiocese, May 19 that because of her obstinate support for legal abortion she is not to present herself for Communion, and that should she do so, she is not to be admitted.

Cordileone’s instruction applies only within the San Francisco archdiocese.

The archbishop explained to his priests that since September 2021, he has made several attempts to have a dialogue with Pelosi about her support for legal abortion. His efforts, he said, were met either with no response or “that the Speaker was unavailable due to her schedule.”

“In consequence of all this and all that has led up to it, it is my determined judgment that this resistance to pastoral counsel has gone on for too long, [A looooong time ago was already “too long”, but hey! this is right.] and there is nothing more that can be done at this point to help the Speaker understand the seriousness of the evil her advocacy for abortion is perpetrating and the scandal she is causing. I therefore issued her the aforementioned Notification that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”

CLICK ME

His notification added that she may be admitted to Communion after [NB] having publicly repudiated her advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and having received absolution.

Cordileone pointed out that the law he is applying in this situation, Canon 915, is found in the book of canon law that deals with the Church’s sanctifying office, rather than in “Book VI, which is the Church’s legislation on penal law.”

Thus, this is not a sanction, or a penalty, but rather a declaration of fact: the Speaker is ‘obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin’ (canon 915). A sanction, on the other hand, such as excommunication, has its own particular process and reasons for being applied. This is quite distinct from the application of canon 915,” he explained.

The archbishop went on to note that the promulgation of Pope Francis’ recent revision of penal law described “three pastoral motives that have also guided my discernment here: responding to the demands of justice, moving the offending party to conversion, and repairing the scandal caused.”

He observed that “Pope Francis’ purpose in issuing this revision of the Church’s canonical legislation on penal sanctions is clearly motivated in large part by the commitment to insuring the integrity of the Church’s sacramental life.”

“It is for this reason,” he added, “that there is now a canon which punishes by suspension, to which other penalties can be added, one who ‘administers a sacrament to those who are prohibited from receiving it.’”

Cordileone added that his decision had not been made lightly, but is “the fruit of years of prayer, fasting and consultation with a broad spectrum of Church leaders whom I respect for their intelligence, wisdom and pastoral sensitivity, and it continues my efforts to invite the Speaker down the path of conversion.”

With regard to the sanctity of life the Church is in a spiritual battle, he maintained: “It is not poetic rhetoric to call the proliferation of abortion demonic.

Because of this, he asked of his priests three things: to preach about the topic; to promote living the consecration of the archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and to pray the St. Michael prayer after Mass.

and to pray the St. Michael prayer after Mass.

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23 Comments

  1. straphaelguy says:

    I will pray for Archbishop Cordileone. This was a very courageous act on his part.
    Wow!

  2. ZestyLemonZach says:

    inb4 some virtue signaling bishop let’s her receive communion anyway.

  3. Finally! Thank you Archbishop Cordileone.

  4. Gab says:

    Pray for him. He will be vilified.

  5. Shonkin says:

    Thank God Almighty for men like Archbishop Cordileone!

  6. matt from az says:

    The Archbishop is a total Chad. I expect Pelosi will use the full force of the Deep State against him now. Pray for him. He will suffer for doing the right thing.

  7. redneckpride4ever says:

    Fr. Martin SJ’s Facebook post is loaded with “weaponizong the Eucharist”, false accusations that guns are made to kill innocents and the ever pathetic attempt to compare abortion (killing of an innocent) to capital punishment (killing of the guilty).

    It’s actually quite pathetic listening to modernists pretending to be orthodox. I almost feel bad for them…they say lemmings will follow the leader off a cliff after all.

    I’ll admit one thing though: it definitely makes me want to go to confession and commit to more prayer. After all, if I can’t strive for holiness I’m not any better.

  8. Pingback: NANCY PELOSI SPECIAL EDITION – Big Pulpit

  9. JMody says:

    I surely hope that the act of a bishop finally drawing a (NEEDED!!) line can be like a pebble to an avalanche, a crack in the dam, you get the picture.
    I have no doubt that the invocation of St. Michael, and the turn to EXACTLY the remedy that Pope Leo XIII declared – after a vision of Satan ravaging the Church – will be telling.
    Excellency, I have long thought you a bit squeamish, weak, milk-toasty, etc., always ready to say stuff but stop just short of decisive action – and I apologize. You have drawn the line, made the issue about morality and scandal and souls, and said in the public square – NO, This stuff REALLY matters. Thank you, sir.

  10. Not says:

    THANK GOD ! Thank you Archbishop Cordileone!
    I mean this sincerely,I pray Pelosi publicly repents before she dies. I wish hell on no one. I especially am trying to avoid it myself.

  11. dahveed says:

    May this finally be the occasion in which she confesses her sins, recants, obtains absolution. Happily praying for her.

  12. francophile says:

    Having met the Archbishop last year at a liturgical conference, I know he did this after thoughtful reflection. The man is incredibly thoughtful in so many ways. Unfortunately, the press shows him only as some reactionary conservative. This same archbishop spends time with the homeless, cares about the less fortunate in profound ways and seeks to better San Francisco. He is the “real” deal and has more backbone than most of the bishops in this country. Kudos to him!

  13. B says:

    I am glad that Archbishop Cordileone did this. But to be honest the bishops should have done this years ago. For all anti-life politicians. The winds have shifted a bit lately and so bishops seem more ready to step up but that for me is a sign of weakness that still needs rooting out. Easy to do things when they are easier. And of course it also shows how many bishops are still be cowardly too.

  14. hilltop says:

    The words Archbishop used and the points he made set up a difficult situation for any Priest or Bishop, even outside San Francisco, who would now “give” her Holy Communion. To do so will be tantamount to saying Cordileone is WRONG.
    And that would be a new source of Scandal, wouldn’t it?
    And it makes it very problematic for her to approach the Sacrament outside of San Francisco. Scandal upon scandal if she does.
    Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day…..

  15. summorumpontificum777 says:

    Abp. Cordileone is graced with an aptronym. Truly the heart of a lion. Pelosi is worse than the garden-variety pro-abortion Catholic because (1) she’s in a position of power with respect to the issue; and (2) she constantly touts her “devoutness” and repeatedly claims that abortion is fully consistent with the Catholic faith.+Cordileone had to act. Bishop Vasa, whose territory includes Pelosi’s Napa Valley estate, has indicated that +Cordileone’s prohibition will be enforced his diocese, too. Cardinal Gregory, the ball is in your court.

  16. majuscule says:

    I’m in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. A few weeks ago I learned that one of the seminarians who is being ordained next month will be offering his First Mass of Thanksgiving ad orientem in Spanish and on a following Sunday will offer a Traditional Latin Mass.

    Local libs were blathering on about not getting permission from Rome to offer the TLM. I was proud of my archbishop and I was wondering if there would be trouble brewing—but I’m pretty sure that’s been eclipsed by the latest development!

  17. Ms. M-S says:

    Being unavoidably human, I was immediately delighted at this slap in the face of Pelosi and all the other stars of the Age of Disorder. Then I was reminded that only one thing is necessary, and I’m committing myself to determined prayer for their conversion.

  18. Not says:

    So far only the Bishop of Denver has come out in support of Archbishop Cordileone. Support for his action should be shouted from the housetops by his fellow Bishops. Mostly, I hear crickets.

  19. WGS says:

    Ms. M-S:
    I think you have not recognized the difference between a firm authentic “pastoral” approach and a “slap in the face”. There are times when a pastor or parent has to act in unity with the truth, but a “slap in the face” suggests something more of an insult.

  20. DavidJ says:

    I would bet a cup of coffee that very quickly, we see a picture of Pelosi attending Mass in DC and receiving the Eucharist from Cardinal Gregory. Which will be very unfortunate.

  21. Ms. M-S says:

    WGS:

    I am rightly called out for dipping into a basket of expressions (including calling on the carpet, kicking in the butt, tightening the bit, taking to task, pointing out the important obvious, et al) and coming up with an inapt one. Still…. Still, I will do the more productive and appropriate thing and pray for the conversion of the victims of the Age of Disorder.

  22. monstrance says:

    I believe the good Archbishop of Springfield IL levied the same restriction on Sen Dick Durban years ago.
    Seattle’s Archbishop should follow suit with WA 2 senators.
    But I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.
    A huge factor in The Speaker’s case is how she would often site her Catholic Faith publicly, while promoting abortion in the same breath.

  23. seeker says:

    And….Archbishop Gregory is offering her Communion, clearly without taking much time to think it through. Regardless of the division in the Catholic Church, confusion of the faithful or respect for a brother cleric; regardless of Pelosi’s soul, he’s in the next news cycle grabbing some press.
    Prayers for Pelosi and Gregory, respect and admiration for Cordileone.

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