House Speaker Nancy Pelosi |
DENVER – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's abortion theology remains under attack, with Catholic members of Congress writing her to castigate her re-interpretation of church teachings and a priest on the EWTN network condemning her for a perspective in which, he believes, she would bomb a city full of innocent people.
WND reported earlier when the Denver Catholic archbishop, Charles Chaput, said Pelosi and those who claim abortion can be reconciled with the Christian faith simply don't know Christianity.
The issue is hitting hard at the Democratic Party as it holds its 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver this week to nominate Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, an ardent abortion proponent who has gone beyond the desires of even the National Abortion Rights Action League in advocating for the controversial procedure. In fact, as a state lawmaker in Illinois, he declined to support a requirement that an abortionist provide necessary medical services to a baby who survives an abortion, because it would be a burden on the abortionist.
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"It's always important to know what our faith actually teaches," Chaput said. "The future of a community, a people, a church and a nation depends on the children who will inherit it. If we prevent our children from being born, we remove ourselves from the future. It's really that simple. No children, no future."
Pelosi on Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press" was asked when human life begins. She said:
I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition … St. Augustine said at three months. We don't know. The point is, is that it shouldn't have an impact on the woman's right to choose.
Her response, however, mangled Catholic doctrine, charges a new letter from 19 Catholic members of Congress.
"We are compelled to refute your error," the letter said.
"In the interview, Tom Brokaw reminded you that the Church professes the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death. As stated in the 'Catechism of the Catholic Church': 'Since it must be treated from conception as a person, the embryo must be defended in its integrity, cared
for, and healed, as far as possible, like any other human being,'" said the letter, signed by Reps. Thaddeus McCotter, Steve Chabot, Virginia Foxx, Phil Gingrey, Peter King (NY), Steve King (IA), Dan Lungren, Devin Nunes, John Sullivan, Pat Tiberi, John Boehner, Phil English, Jean Schmidt, Jim Walsh, Jeff Fortenberry, Michael McCaul, Paul Ryan,
Walter Jones and Mike Ferguson.
"To this, you responded, 'I understand. And this is like maybe 50 years or something like that. So again, over the history of the church, this is an issue of controversy,'" the letter said.
"Unfortunately, your statement demonstrates a lack of understanding of Catholic teaching and belief regarding abortion. From the Apostles of the 1st Century to Pope John Paul the Great '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,'" the letter said.
"Your erroneous claim about the history of the church's opposition to abortion is false and denigrates our common faith," the letter said.
A WND message requesting a comment from Pelosi was not returned.
"To reduce the scandal and consternation caused amongst the faithful by your remarks, we necessarily write you to correct the public record and affirm the church's actual and historical teaching that defends the sanctity of human life," the letter said.
In addition, Father Mitch Pacwa, a host on the EWTN Catholic television network, warned Pelosi if she is, in fact, an "ardent, practicing Catholic," then she must conform her "conscience to the teaching of the church that goes back [to] the very beginning of the church on this moral issue."
"If you are ignorant and you don't know [when life begins], then you go on the side of safety and protecting rights. You don't bomb a city where there might be a lot of civilians. You say, 'Well, I'm not sure.' Well, then be on the side of safety. Protect the lives of the innocent, the non-combatants."
In the abortion war, the unborn are the non-combatants, he said.
"You must also go on the side of your ignorance to say then, 'If I don't know, then I'll protect all the more. I don't want to act while I'm ignorant,'" he said. In her position as probably the most powerful woman in the nation, she must "make sure not that there are few and rare abortions, but that there are zero abortions and that you would do everything you can to protect life. This is the duty of us all," he said.
Chaput said there are two truths to remember: Society has an obligation and Christians have a Gospel duty to help the "unwed and abandoned mothers, women facing unintended pregnancies; and women struggling with the aftermath of an abortion" and "Killing an unborn child is never the right answer."
Catholic League president Bill Donohue said he was sending Pelosi a copy of "Catholicism for Dummies."
"So there we have it: the man running for president on the Democratic ticket supports selective infanticide, his running mate is a pro-abortion Catholic, the delegates are wildly out of step with Americans on abortion and the Speaker of the House hasn't a clue what her religion teaches on the subject," he said.
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