Pelosi banned from Eucharist following her vow to codify Roe v Wade (read the full letter)

Well, it finally happened and many Catholics, including myself, are left celebrating while wondering just what took so long. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone issued a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday, May 19, informing her that he has banned her from reception of the Eucharist. The letter and decision was made public Friday, when the archbishop informed the public of his decision and reasons behind it. 

Pelosi, along with many other high profile pro-abortion Catholic politicians such as President Joe Biden, have not held back in fighting with every available resource to keep abortion legal in the United States. The efforts, many of which have been driven by Pelosi, have ensured the death of countless lives. Cordileone said the ways of the Church had been followed and he had met with Pelosi multiple times and urged her to repent. The archbishop warned Pelosi of the consequences of her actions and her politics. It appears, according to the letter, Pelosi closed off communication with the archbishop upon hearing of the leaked Supreme Court document relating to Roe v. Wade.

“I am grateful to you for the time you have given me in the past to speak about these matters. Unfortunately, I have not received such an accommodation to my many requests to speak to you again since you vowed to codify the Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade decision in federal law following upon passage of Texas Senate Bill 8 last September. That is why I communicated my concerns to you via letter on April 7, 2022, and informed you there that, should you not publicly repudiate your advocacy for abortion ‘rights’ or else refrain from referring to your Catholic faith in public and receiving Holy Communion, I would have no choice but to make a declaration, in keeping with canon 915, that you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion. As you have not publicly repudiated your position on abortion and continue to refer to your Catholic faith in justifying your position and to receive Holy Communion, that time has now come. Therefore, in light of my responsibility as the Archbishop of San Francisco to be ‘concerned for all the Christian faithful entrusted ot my care’ by means of this communication I am hereby notifying you that you are not to present yourself for Holy Communion and, should you do so, you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, 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.” (Letter from Archbishop to Pelosi)

Archbishop Cordileone ends the letter by telling Pelosi he is ready to continue their conversations about this issue and will be praying and fasting for her. He has also urged all the faithful in the Archdiocese of San Francisco to pray for Pelosi, as well as all other legislators, who promote abortion.

On Friday, the archbishop issued a public letter to Catholics and explained that he had made “numerous attempts to speak with her to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking. I have determined that the point has come in which I must make a public declaration that she is not to be admitted to Holy Communion unless and until she publicly repudiates her support for abortion ‘rights’ and confess and receive absolution for her cooperation in this evil in the sacrament of Penance.

Cordileone sent a separate letter to priests within the archdiocese regarding his decision, urging increased security measures as the churches since he expected additional threats of violence and disruptions, and said “I am convinced that this is a time that God is calling us to live the last beatitude: ‘Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.” (Matthew 5:11-12)

Pelosi's refusal to repent, despite the warnings and urging from the Church (the archbishop), combined with her refusal to even meet with Cordileone following her push to codify Roe v. Wade, shows a total unrepentant heart and mentality. It reflects the heart of someone who refuses to listen to the urging of the Holy Spirit, the voice of the Lord, and to, instead, follow her political platform and agenda. 

Cordileone’s ban applies only within the San Francisco Archdiocese. Therefore, it does not automatically prevent Pelosi from still receiving the Eucharist in Washington D.C. or within other dioceses outside Cordileone’s authority.

Although most people, particularly in the media, will provide agenda based political coverage on this issue, it is crucial for all Catholics to remember that to receive the Eucharist is to receive the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. We are given a severe warning about receiving the Eucharist in an unworthy manner in Sacred Scripture and when one receives it unworthily it is a grave matter. This decision by Cordileone not only is a step to protect the Eucharist from being misused and abused within the archdiocese, it is a step toward protecting Pelosi as well. It is a step toward attempting to bring her to repentance and prevent her from committing even more grave sins than she already is doing.

We all need to pray for her, as well as every other Catholic who receives the Eucharist in an unworthy matter, that they would repent and come to receive the grace and mercy of Christ.