Speaker of the House Pelosi clearly thought she was going to walk into the Vatican and dominate Pope Benedict XVI. Predictions were made how the two would get beyond the narrow pro-life issue and that terrible “micro-obsession with abortion” as Jon O’Brien, head of the so-called “Catholic for Choice” liberal front group put it. Well, according to reports, the ENTIRE 15-minute meeting was a lecture from the Successor to St. Peter to Pelosi, solely devoted to what the Church really teaches about the right to life and the DUTY to defend the unborn.
This tack taken by the Pope is in obvious and conscious contradistinction to the very public & loopy statements of ‘theology’ put out by Pelosi on the topic of human life.
Way to go, Pope! This is the sort of things leaders are SUPPOSED to do! Now it’s time for the U.S, Bishops to follow up, because the media will obviously try to hush this result up. Let’s do our best not to let them, too.
And let’s pray for Pelosi or some other unforeseen stalwart to have a change of heart and step forward on this and all the other important issues. Whittaker Chambers was a sold-out undercover Soviet spy who had given up everything to destroy capitalism and democracy, the sort of fanatic who doesn’t get turned from their path. In his classic autobiography, “WITNESS” it was the party’s demand that he and his wife abort their child which began his slow Exodus to sanity. He was forced to think about what he believed. “I felt like I was joining the losing side,” he commented. Yet, he and others like him helped to turn the seemingly inexorable tide of Marxism. Maybe this meeting will be the sort of shock to Pelosi’s moral system that she needs.
This is another time we need to turn the tide. We need more ‘witnesses’. Can I get a witness?
In order for one’s moral system to be shocked, doesn’t one have to have a Conscience ?…
I don’t think Pelosi has a conscience.
pelosi thinks she speks for all women, democrats, catholics, you name it. she is so power drunk she can’t see straight. i hope the pope gave it to her good, i hope he made her feel like an insignificant gnat, i hope she left there with her tail between her legs. she is an arrogant witch.
Nothing will or can change Peeloshi. As Luva says she is power hungry. Since she funnels millions of taxpayer dollars to her family, make that power drunk and money hungry. Where did the elitest idiots get the idea they will never die or they can take money to hell with them. Neither is going to happen. Soon someone will be shoveling dirt in 90% of the old farts faces and the earths core will heat up from all the additional fat a**e* going to hell.
Hey, they don’t call Good Hardcore Pope Benedict XVI “God’s German Shepherd” for nothing 😀
Defense for Pelosi came from Jon O’Brien, president of “Catholics for Choice,” an oxymoron if I ever heard of one. First, though, I’d like to present the response from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (in the words of responded to Pelosi’s assertions on its website with a statement by Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine.):
In the course of a “Meet the Press” interview on abortion and other public issues on August 24, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi misrepresented the history and nature of the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church against abortion.
In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, ‘Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.’ (No. 2271)
In the Middle Ages, uninformed and inadequate theories about embryology led some theologians to speculate that specifically human life capable of receiving an immortal soul may not exist until a few weeks into pregnancy. While in canon law these theories led to a distinction in penalties between very early and later abortions, the Church’s moral teaching never justified or permitted abortion at any stage of development.
These mistaken biological theories became obsolete over 150 years ago when scientists discovered that a new human individual comes into being from the union of sperm and egg at fertilization.
In keeping with this modern understanding, the Church teaches that from the time of conception (fertilization), each member of the human species must be given the full respect due to a human person, beginning with respect for the fundamental right to life.
————————–
Along comes Jon O’Brien to preach modern-day Catholicism to these apparently uneducated Bishops:
“In their response to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, the US bishops commented on their interpretation of what Speaker Pelosi said, not what she actually said. Speaker Pelosi was correct in noting that Catholic teaching has changed over the years, even on the issue of when life begins. But the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops used the occasion to bang the drum on their issue sine qua non in American politics: abortion. In doing so, the bishops ignored many relevant issues, including the importance of conscience, what Catholics themselves actually believe, and the role of religion in politics.”
And all along I thought we were supposed to follow the actual teachings of the church. Clearly I owe my re-education to Mr. O’Brien. I wonder what my penance will be – reading brochures from Planned Parenthood?
“On conscience, Catholic politicians need no reminding that Catholic teaching requires them to follow their own consciences—even if it is in conflict with church teaching. In addition, Catholic teaching requires at least tolerance, if not respect, for other people’s decisions. Speaker Pelosi and the many other prochoice Catholic politicians are following this teaching to the letter when they recognize the proper place for personal religious convictions in the political arena, and support policies that help ensure affordable contraception, safe and legal abortions, comprehensive sexuality education, and affordable health care for all people in this country.
Catholic’s for Choice is an anti-catholic front group funded by the Ford Foundation. It’s one of about a dozen such groups in the country, many funded by George Soros. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, the Catholic Church is under great attack by the radical left; has been for years.
As for Pelosi, at least Benedict was savvy enough not to release any photos (if any were even taken). This is extremely rare, but even the Pope knows when he is being set up. Looks like no papal photo op for Nancy the “ardent Catholic.”
The Pope was only doing his job, but the upside is, he’s the final authority so no longer can any “catholic” politician claim he is “supporting abortion for the people, despite his/her own personal beliefs.” It always amazed me that anyone would fall for that line. It’s analogous to saying, “Well, I don’t personally believe in slavery, but who am I to tell my next door neighbor he doesn’t have a right to his slaves.”
Timing is always interesting with these types of things. I wouldn’t be surprised if Ted Kennedy renounces his pro abortion position before he dies. I hope, especially for his sake. As for Nancy and Joe Biden, we can only pray. I wish all those Catholics in congress would run to the confessional as quickly as they run up to the communion lines. To be honest I was hoping Nancy would run into the Vatican exorcist while she was there!
mlajoie2, I don’t think she has a moral system to shock. She has her own power system that she worships, her guiding force.
I could only dream of being in the presence of the Pope, wonder if she can appreciate how blessed and fortunate that visit was, truly, a precious gift. Remembering back when we had visits by the Pope in all the stadiums across the country. My nephews were teens at the time, he excited them. They watched all the coverage they could, bought and saved magazines that featured his visit, watching them through those days was a wonderful experience, nice memory.
Watched Laura Ingraham last night on O’Reilly. She calls the Pelosi, Kennedy, Kerry types “cafeteria Catholics.” Fitting.
We are christians! we should be pro life…and i admire the Pope for having that stand..after all he is God’s shepered. Sometimes the power hunger people like politicians, forget what is moral and ethical..the common people who have a heart of gold..who understand what is really good and ethical in our moral system is much luckier.
While the Pope had her in his audience he should have excommunicated her along with the other baby killers.
AMEN to that Jerry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually, depending on who’s interpreting the Code of Canon Law, she’s already excommunicated herself!
While The Holy Father’s defense of Church teachings is to be applauded, I wonder what words He would also deliver to American politicians regarding the death penalty?
ChipD
He would have given her the same teaching that is in the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
2267 Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.
If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person.
Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm – without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself – the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity “are very rare, if not practically non-existent.”
(End of Catechism quote)
FYI, Pope Benedict didn’t make up “new rules for Nancy” re: abortion. The church never changes core teachings; only American catholic politicians do that! I suspect he might have sent Nancy home with a copy of the catechism, being that it appears she has never studied it.
Thanks Pdill for the quote-
I would guess that executing mentally retarded people or teenagers is probably not what the Church would consider in the “rare but absolutely needed” category.
Which is sort of the larger view I would put forward (which might be a bit off-thread; That politicians and pundits love to exploit the Church’s moral stature as a handy battering ram to buttress their own views- but only when convenient, and willfully ignore those that aren’t.
Some love to quote the Church on abortion, but ignore its other teaching on social policy and poverty; others do exactly the opposite.
Which brings me to the larger point, that our national politics seem to have fallen into tribalism- you are either Red or Blue, “libtard” or “wingnut”.
So when the Holy Father excoriates wealthy nations for not doing enough for the poor, is he a “Libtard”? Or when he scolds Nancy Pelosi, is he a “Wingnut”?
Or maybe not all issues need to be viewed in such simple us-vs.-them terms?
For instance, what would the Pope and the Catholic Bishops make of Abu Ghraib, or Gitmo, or the “Black sites”? The Wall Street bonuses and financial meltdown? Illegal immigration?
@ChipD:
Yes, you’re right, the capital punishment practices of Iran are deplorable. You left off gays though.
Somehow I don’t think the Mullahs care a whole lot about what His Holiness thinks about them.
ChipD you ask a lot of questions that can all best be understood by understanding the church’s teaching on social justice. I once went back and read 100 years worth of papal encyclicals (in full disclosure, I was trying to prove the church wrong), and as you can probably surmise, I lost. But I have to say, what I learned not only fascinated me, but convinced me of the “wisdom” of the church, especially when they are “countercultural.” Much of what the church has written has without question now proven to be prophetic.
The CC (or Pope), doesn’t think in “terms of left or right”, and despite what many believe, has no interest in politics outside of the Vatican role of head of state. It’s “we the people”, especially Americans, who, as you point out, MAKE their teachings political depending on how it fits our agenda(s). In fact, THAT’s why Nancy Pelosi doesn’t have a “recent photo released by the Vatican.” The CC’s job is to uphold the fullness of the teachings of Christ (including the incorporation and integration of Jewish Law), always based in the dignity of the human person.
Actually, I don’t think this is so off topic at all, considering the CC has MUCH to say about not only the “ism’s, (FYI, before JPII died, he warned us that “consumerism” would be even more dangerous than communism). Bingo on that one!
They also have offer a great deal of wisdom on socialism, which I think is especially important being that I hear more and more(dangerously misunderstood IMO ), of the “glowing” references to Ayn Rand’s “Laissez-faire capitalism.” I think before the overzealous right try to usher us all into the “made for book only “ world of “Atlas Shrugged”, it would behoove any reasonable person to read what the popes have written on communism to Laissz-faire capitalism, understanding why the MORAL element matters, as well as the dangers of “free reign” capitalism. Ayn Rand was a hard core atheist for any who may not realize or understand her philosophy of “Objectvism”, of which many in our “federal money circles, including Greenspan, subscribe to.
If anyone is interested in where or what would be best to read, here’s a link but I caution you to ignore the Father Greeley quotes at the end (he’s more often than not, NOT in line with the church), which brings up my next and important point. Don’t relegate the OFFICAL Church teachings because of the many fallen WITHIN the church. One of the biggest misunderstandings is that “bad members” make a bad church, when in actuality, the CC is the hospital for sinners and NOT the hotel for saints (although it does have its fair share of saints) many incorrectly assume it to be. Also at the bottom of the article is a connection to Barack Obama, who was funded for his first community organizer job by the Catholic Church! Well, that recently was found out to be a dupe ON the Catholic Church. The monies Catholics thought they were giving to the “Bishops” were corrupted by “some inside” to Acorn in Chicago. If I remember correctly, this went on for 40 years and was only realized this past year. Bottom line, the American CC is under great attack, and many of those “attackers” are now inside. The goal is of course to weaken the faith and credibility. My point is, if you can understand the corruption for what it is, especially with an anti-catholic media (BTW, STILL a better success rate than Jesus did with his picks), great wisdom awaits. Here’s the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_social_teaching
Chip as for the day to day stuff of “what the pope thinks”, this Zenit.org isn’t an official Vatican paper but it’s certainly unbiased and unfiltered which you can follow daily. Pope Benedict has actually made some pretty astute comments on some current events, especially concerning off shore banks and the elimination of taxes. You can look through the archives if interested.
http://zenit.org/index.php?l=english