Pope Francis’s Warm Welcome to Nancy Pelosi: A (not so) Subtle Message of Support for Abortionists

Pope Francis remained silent as anti-abortion Catholics (and non-Catholics) around the world joyfully celebrated the Supreme Court’s landmark decision overturning Roe v. Wade, giving the impression he was at least uncomfortable if not displeased with it.

Pope Francis’s Warm Welcome for Nancy Pelosi . . .

Then, on June 29, the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, he broke his silence not with words but with a symbolic gesture: he greeted and blessed the pro-abortion representative Nancy Pelosi in St. Peter’s Basilica. After that brief meeting, the House Speaker attended Mass and received Communion.¹

Although the pope did not give her Holy Communion (due to health reasons, he did not celebrate Mass but attended next to the altar), he must have known Mrs. Pelosi was going to receive Holy Communion, as she normally does.

And the Vatican protocol office gave her a place of honor.

Indeed, Nicole Winfield writing for the Associated Press reports that at the Mass, “She was seated in a VIP diplomatic section of the basilica and received communion along with the rest of the congregants, according to two people who witnessed the moment.”²

. . . Sends a Message of Support to Abortionists

Pope Francis showed no sign of contentment with the pro-life movement’s great victory with the Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling, which drastically restricts the crime (and sin) of abortion.

On the contrary, he welcomed a politician who publicly criticized that ruling and who is an outspoken supporter of abortion.

How not to interpret his attitude as support for pro-abortion Catholics?

“Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion”

It must be recalled that, after numerous private warnings, Most Rev. Salvatore Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco, published a notice forbidding abortionist leader Nancy Pelosi to receive Holy Communion in his archdiocese “until such time as you publicly repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of abortion and confess and receive absolution of this grave sin in the sacrament of Penance.”³

Nancy Pelosi, who insists on calling herself Catholic, ignored her pastor’s serious communication founded on Church doctrine, Canon Law, and the “Worthiness to Receive Holy Communion” memorandum (2004) by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. In it, the then-Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reaffirmed the principle of refusing Communion to pro-abortion Catholic politicians.⁴

She has not “publicly repudiated” her abortionist activism. On the contrary, the very day of the Supreme Court ruling, the Speaker of the House gave an impassioned speech, saying, among other things:

“Today, the Republican-controlled Supreme Court has achieved the GOP’s dark and extreme goal of ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions. . . . A woman’s fundamental health decisions are her own to make, in consultation with her doctor and her loved ones – not to be dictated by far-right politicians. While Republicans seek to punish and control women, Democrats will keep fighting ferociously to enshrine Roe v. Wade into law.”⁵

Abortion and Homosexuality Go Hand in Hand

Pelosi not only expressed her contempt for the Church’s teaching on abortion, but she also took a scandalous stance on the sin of homosexuality.

The next day, June 25, she spoke at San Francisco’s Pride Brunch 2022, where she again attacked the victory against abortion and championed same-sex “marriage.”⁶ On Sunday, the 26th, she participated in the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Parade.⁷ That was not the first time she supported the homosexual movement. She always votes in their favor.⁸ Several days earlier, on June 10, she participated in a “Drag Queen” show during which she stated, “Your freedom of expression, of yourselves in drag, is what America is all about. I say that all the time to my friends in drag.”⁹

Despite all this, Pope Francis greeted the Speaker of the House with a smile, as shown in a photo released by the Vatican. She said he gave her a blessing before she attended Mass at St. Peter’s and received Communion.¹⁰

An Innocuous Statement

The Vatican statement on Dobbs came from a well-known liberal close to the homosexual movement, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life.

The Pontifical Academy’s communique stated, among other things, that it is “important to reopen the non-ideological debate” on protecting life “without falling into a priori ideological positions.” It goes on to recommend “adequate sexual education,” guaranteed “health care accessible to all,” and “legislative measures to protect the family and motherhood, overcoming existing inequalities.”¹¹

What does the Pontifical Academy mean by avoiding “a priori ideological positions” in the fight against abortion? It is unclear. Could it be abandoning Catholic morals and the principles of natural law, which “a priori” forbid exterminating the innocent in their mother’s womb?

The least that can be said is that this innocuous statement shows not the slightest joy and gratitude to God for having allowed this ruling, which prevents numerous sins that transgress both the Divine and natural law.

The Pope Should Show Gratitude

With this great victory, Pope Francis should express joy and thank the American pro-life movement. It kept the flame of morals and natural law alive for many decades. Year after year, the March for Life brings together huge crowds in the dead of winter, while dedicated pro-lifers pray in front of abortion clinics and convince poor disoriented mothers not to sacrifice their children. How many have been arrested in this heroic struggle, but they were never discouraged and never withdrew from the fight!

In addition, the pontiff should also thank the Supreme Court Justices who, facing abortionists’ furious threats, have ruled according to law and justice, fulfilling their duty to their country.

The fight against abortion has not ended with the Supreme Court’s decision. The struggle for morality, a sense of good and evil, and the natural law continues with the grace of God and the protection of the Virgo Potens.

Post-Scriptum

This article was already written when the Argentine pontiff’s interview with journalist Philip Pullella came to light.

In it, Pope Francis reiterated his condemnation of abortion. However, when asked about the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade, “Francis said he respected the decision but did not have enough information to speak about it from a juridical point of view.”¹²

Regarding the Archbishop of San Francisco banning Nancy Pelosi from receiving Communion in the archdiocese until she changes her pro-abortion stance, Pope Francis had strong criticism for the zealous prelate and not for the obstinate Speaker of the House. He said:

“When the Church loses its pastoral nature, when a bishop loses his pastoral nature, it causes a political problem,” the pope said. “That’s all I can say.”¹³

Despite his criticism of abortion, the interview reinforces the impression that he was at least uncomfortable if not displeased with the Supreme Court’s ruling. And his criticism about the barring of Nancy Pelosi from Communion constitutes yet another message of support for the abortion movement.

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Photo Credit:  Maria Grazia Picciarella / Alamy Stock Photo