Pro-Life Catholic Lawmakers Take Nancy Pelosi to Task on Abortion Comments
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 26, 2008
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A group of Republican members of Congress who are Catholics are taking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to task for her recent comments concerning the Catholic Church’s abortion position. The lawmakers say Pelosi misrepresented the views of the Church on abortion and its position on the beginning of human life.
As LifeNews.com noted, Pelosi admitted in an interview with "Meet the Press" that she didn’t know the answer to the question of when human life begins.
Yet, she claimed, "as an ardent, practicing Catholic, [abortion] is an issue that I have studied for a long time.”
In a letter to Pelosi given to LifeNews.com, the representatives said, "As fellow Catholics and legislators, we wish you would have made a more honest effort to lay out the authentic position of the Church on this core moral issue before attempting to address it with authority."
"Your subsequent remarks mangle Catholic Church doctrine regarding the inherent sanctity and dignity of human life; therefore, we are compelled to refute your error," they added.
In the interview, Tom Brokaw reminded Pelosi that the Church professes the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death.
Pelosi 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.”
"Unfortunately, your statement demonstrates a lack of understanding of Catholic teaching and belief regarding abortion," the lawmakers say.
"From the Apostles of the first 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,’" they said, quoting from the Catholic Catechism.
"Thus, your erroneous claim about the history of the Church’s opposition to abortion is false and denigrates our common Faith," the pro-life Catholics said.
The lawmakers called on Pelosi to correct the record and affirm that the Catholic Church’s abortion teaching has been consistent.
The members of Congress signing their names to the letter included Reps. Steve Chabot and Patrick Tiberi of Ohio, Thaddeus G. McCotter of Michigan, Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, Phil Gingrey of Georgia, Peter King of New York, Steve King of Iowa, Daniel Lungren and Devin Nunes of California, and John Sullivan of Oklahoma.
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