Pelosi Defames Devout Catholics

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi described herself as a "ardent, practicing Catholic" on MSNBC's Meet the Press show on Sunday, and then proceeded to contradict the Catholic Church's constant teaching against procured abortion. Speaker Pelosi dismissed as "maybe 50 years ... of controversy" when reminded of the Church's position by host Tom Brokaw.

Timeline of Pelosi-Gate from American Papist:

* 8/24 - Morning: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi makes numerous uninformed and false claims about the Catholic Church's 2,000-year teaching on abortion in her Meet the Press interview
* 8/24 - Evening: numerous Catholic and conservative blogs criticize Pelosi
* 8/25 - Afternoon: Abp. Chaput is the first U.S. Bishop to publicly correct Pelosi
* 8/25 - Late Afternoon: Ten Catholic members of Congress respond to Pelosi
* 8/25 - Early Evening: The US Bishops respond to Pelosi in a special press release
* 8/25 - Late Evening: Abp. Wuerl of Washington DC also corrects Pelosi
* 8/26 - Early Morning: Associated Press and political blogs note the bishops' statements
* 8/27 - Early Afternoon: Cardinal Egan issues the strongest condemnation yet of Pelosi
* 8/27 - Mid Afternoon: Pelosi's diocese of San Francisco opts to issue a USCCB reprint
* 8/27 - Late Afternoon: Pelosi's spokesman issues a non-apology response


Read Cardinal Egan's stinging (and public) response:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 26, 2008

STATEMENT OF HIS EMINENCE, EDWARD CARDINAL EGAN CONCERNING REMARKS MADE BY THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Like many other citizens of this nation, I was shocked to learn that the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States of America would make the kind of statements that were made to Mr. Tom Brokaw of NBC-TV on Sunday, August 24, 2008. What the Speaker had to say about theologians and their positions regarding abortion was not only misinformed; it was also, and especially, utterly incredible in this day and age.

We are blessed in the 21st century with crystal-clear photographs and action films of the living realities within their pregnant mothers. No one with the slightest measure of integrity or honor could fail to know what these marvelous beings manifestly, clearly, and obviously are, as they smile and wave into the world outside the womb. In simplest terms, they are human beings with an inalienable right to live, a right that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is bound to defend at all costs for the most basic of ethical reasons. They are not parts of their mothers, and what they are depends not at all upon the opinions of theologians of any faith. Anyone who dares to defend that they may be legitimately killed because another human being “chooses” to do so or for any other equally ridiculous reason should not be providing leadership in a civilized democracy worthy of the name.

Edward Cardinal Egan

Archbishop of New York

August 26, 2008