The Vatican (LifeNews.com) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is set to visit Pope Benedict XVI this week and will likely receive communion during her visit to the Vatican. Some pro-life Catholics don't want that to happen and have started a petition asking that Catholic Church leaders prevent the pro-abortion lawmaker from receiving the sacrament.

As LifeNews.com reported, Pelosi, one of the top pro-abortion Catholics in elected office in the United States, will meet with Pope on Wednesday.

Pelosi describes herself as an "ardent" Catholic but the San Francisco-based congresswoman has taken a consistent pro-abortion stance in defiance of Catholic pro-life teachings.

James Todd , of the Catholic web site Pewsitter, is organizing the petition "requesting the Catholic Bishops of the United States to withhold Communion from her and other prominent Catholics in public life that obstinately persist in their dissent from Catholic teaching on serious moral issues."

"Unfortunately what has happened is that prominent, dissenting Catholics, in public life have continued to receive communion with impunity—and this has led to the false impression that the Church condones or at least tolerates such dissenting opinions on serious moral issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research to name a few," Todd explains.

"The goal of the petition drive is to gather a least 1 million petitions for presentation to the U.S. Bishops and the Vatican," he told LifeNews.com Tuesday.

Todd bases his campaign on Canon 915, which stipulates that those "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion."

He also cites Archbishop Burke, the head of the Church's highest court, who has said that pro-abortion elected officials who are Catholics shouldn't receive communion.

"Not only do these prominent Catholics disregard the Church’s teachings, but in many cases they actively and publicly promote policies and legislation that undermines, opposes and contradicts the Church’s teachings," Jones says. "Examples of such Catholics include Speaker of the House - Nancy Pelosi."

Todd says Church teachings call Catholics like him to action.

"Most Catholics don't know that in addition to Canon 915, Canon law also compels Catholics to take action," Jones says. He says Canon 212 S3 requires lay Catholics to urge Church leaders to action.

Catholic writer Deal Hudson says it is a good idea for Pelosi to meet with the pope, because he can have a teaching moment with her, but he is also concerned about the communion issue.

"Will she attend Mass? Will she receive communion? How many from the media will be present? How widely will the photos and videos of her reception be spread around the world? How many of her fellow pro-abortion Catholics will be at her side?" Hudson asks.

"Pelosi, of course, should be denied communion, but it is unlikely to happen," he says.

Related web sites:
Pewsitter petition - http://www.pewsitter.com/petition

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