Fr. Gerald E. Murray: Nancy Pelosi Is Blessed

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco may not realize it, but she is blessed to have a true pastor of souls as her bishop. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone’s love for her as a member of his flock prompted him to tell her something she does not want to hear, namely that she will not be allowed to receive Holy Communion in her home diocese until she has repented of her gravely sinful promotion of the killing of unborn children by abortion.

The duty of a bishop is not to humor a member of his flock, such as Mrs. Pelosi, who claims that her promotion of abortion is not in contradiction to her obligations as a follower of Christ in the Catholic Church. His duty is to lead his flock in the path of truth and virtue, which at times means rebuking someone who contradicts Christ’s truth in a matter of great importance. This episcopal duty is not simply a matter of exhorting someone to abandon wrongful ways. In the case of Speaker Pelosi such exhortations by Archbishop Cordileone have been frequent, and completely ignored. …