Pelosi defends comments on beginning of life as more bishops warn against them

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Bishop Sam Aquila

Fargo, N.D., Aug 27, 2008 / 06:55 pm (CNA).- Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, North Dakota has joined several other U.S. Catholic bishops in refuting Nancy Pelosi’s recent comments that confuse the Church’s teachings about when life begins and abortion. Rep. Pelosi, meanwhile, said through her spokesman that she stands by her comments.

This past Sunday in an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Nancy Pelosi told Tom Brokaw that "Doctors of the Church" have not been able to define when life begins and that because St. Augustine said life begins at three months, the viability of a child at that stage “shouldn't have an impact on the woman's right to choose.”

Bishop Aquila did not refute Pelosi at length since he said that the statement issued by Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver was "excellent" and he didn’t need to add to it.

However, the bishop did offer his take on the Speaker of the House’s comments saying, “People of good will who have studied the present day Catholic teaching as given in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, John Paul II's Encyclical, The Gospel of Life, and have read the fathers of the Church, can easily recognize the flaws in her remarks on the teaching of the Church concerning when human life begins. The right to life from conception is the pre-eminent social justice and human right’s issue of our time.

“As your bishop,” Aquila continued, “I have the responsibility to present to you the authentic teaching of the Church, to correct the misinformation she has given, and finally to warn you that those who oppose the true teaching are not in good standing with the Church.”

Noting that “The Christian teaching on abortion throughout history is unchanged,” the Bishop of Fargo called for human life to be respected from the moment of conception, be treated with dignity and protected.

Aquila also addressed the issue of Catholics who support “so-called abortion rights.” These Catholics, he said, “support a false right, promote a culture of death, and are guided by the ‘father of lies’ rather than by the light and truth of Jesus Christ.”

Aquila also stressed that Catholics who support these “rights” have “placed himself or herself outside of visible unity with the Church and thus should refrain from receiving Holy Communion” out of respect for the teaching of Jesus Christ and the Church.

On Tuesday, in an interview with the Associated Press, Brendan Daly, a spokesman for Pelosi, said that she "fully appreciates the sanctity of family" and based her views on conception on the "views of Saint Augustine, who said: '... the law does not provide that the act (abortion) pertains to homicide, for there cannot yet be said to be a live soul in a body that lacks sensation ...'"

While Daly could not deny that Catholic teaching is unambiguous about life beginning at conception, he tried to bolster Pelosi by saying that many Catholics do not agree with the Church’s teaching.

He also added that Rep. Pelosi "agrees with the Church that we should reduce the number of abortions" by increasing the availability of family planning such as comprehensive age-appropriate sex education and adoption programs.

CNA contacted the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the archdiocese to which Nancy Pelosi belongs, to determine whether or not Archbishop George Niederauer will issue a statement about the Speaker’s comments.

Maurice Healy, the Director of Communications for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, said that the archbishop will be addressing Pelosi’s comments in his September 5 column in the archdiocesan newspaper.

Late on Wednesday afternoon the number of bishops criticizing Nancy Pelosi's comments grew as Archbishop Jose Gomez of San Antonio and his auxiliary Bishop Oscar Cantu added their voices.

"We agree whole heartedly with the statement issued by Cardinal Justin F. Rigali, chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities and Bishop William E. Lori of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Doctrine," their statement said.

Comments: 11

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Fr John Abberton
England 08/29/2008 10:13 AM EST

1. St. Augustine was not infallible unless he spoke in union with the Pope and the other bishops in line with the constant teaching of the Church.
2. Jesus was only a few days old in the womb when Elizabeth described Mary as "The Mother of my Lord" -
3. Augustine and others of his day did not know that the earth revolved around the sun. Does this mean that we are at liberty to say it does not? Science moves on. Ultrasound now shows that life begins VERY early, and it is the nature of the fertized embryo to GROW which means, by any use of logic that the beginning is the beginning.

Published by: Dion
Tri-Cities, Washington, United States of America 08/29/2008 01:26 AM EST

This poor "wombman" is in dire need of prayer! Like many liberal democrat "catholics" this poor soul has lost her way! We can only pray that she confesses, repents, and retracts from her diabolical statements. We must pray more now than ever for our fellow lost sheep that they may come to know that CHRIST is LIFE! To deny this fact is to deny Christ himself and is therefore anti-christian and anti-life! Let us all pray that God will enlighten these lost sheep especially Senator Pelosi and give them the wisdom to know that without the basic right to life, no bill or policy that they put forward will bear any fruit in the eyes of our Creator! Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on us, Immaculate Heart of Mary pray for us!

Published by: KarlB
winnsboro la usa 08/28/2008 03:45 PM EST

It's so refreshing to see our bishops actually stand up for a moral truth. It's a little strange that Mrs.Pelosi's own Bishop in san Francisco has made a comment yet.?

Published by: Jo Soderstrom
McKinney, TX, USA 08/28/2008 02:43 PM EST

Thank you Holy Spirit!!! The Lord's shepards are finally leading His sheep! Please inspire Archbishop Niederauer in his 9/5 column!!!

Published by: GodSpace
Thousand Oaks, CA 08/28/2008 02:39 PM EST

It appears that the teaching moment many have been asking for has arrived!!!!

As Bishops keep piling on to explain to all the fallacy of Ms. Pelosi's statements, may more and more be hearing the answer of "when life begins".

May we in California be spared more of that "ardent" catholic's mis-statements of faith.

Published by: Esther
Miami, FL 08/28/2008 01:00 PM EST

Pelosi has to cite the bibliography where that was said by St. Augustine. She lies many times about her quotations.

Remember that in the IV a.C. centuty there was no microscope, neither in the middle ages.

St. Augustine never agreed with murder. And if science would have affirmed conception as it has done since the past century with the microscope invention, St. Augustine would be the first to go out and proclaimin CNN to nancy Pelosi:

"Pelosi, don't you remember that Mary was conceived without sin, and that -conception marks the beginning of every new person, every new human life"

Published by: Joan L. Roccasalvo
Bronx, NY 08/28/2008 11:59 AM EST

Those bishops who have already responded to Mrs. Pelosi's false assertions must now respond to her reliance on St. Augustins's view.
It is clear that Catholic leaders in the Democratic party should be urged to find pro-life candidates. This must be an studied goal. Irish and Italian Catholics have traditionally voted as Democrat. Currently, they are forced to choose between their party and their religion. If there were large numbers of vocal pro-life Democrats in Congress, Naral's stanglehold on abortion "rights" would be weakened.

Published by: eugene Tighe
United States 08/28/2008 11:54 AM EST

Nancy, please! What you're preaching is heresy! Please do not call your self a Catholic, ardent, practicing or otherwise. I am very offended by your remarks!

Published by: Debby
NJ, USA 08/28/2008 11:50 AM EST

So, since Nancy Pelosi is "hiding" behind the ideology of 430 A.D. because she doesn't have the courage to look Truth in the eye, should we remind her that in 430 A.D. women were not allowed to hold public office? As far as I have been able to discover, women were primarily inconsequential in IDEOLOGY, although necessary for survival! So tell me, "proud mother and grandmother," should we remove all females from public service, from owning property, from voting? St. Augustine IS A SAINT, he is not some vauge literary figure to be hacked to pieces by the likes of one who is full of self with no room for Truth. And any Catholic who is open, will easily discern this weed sown among the wheat....
God Bless your work! And thank you for all your sacrifices as you labor in these fields!

Published by: Jason 1975
Spartanburg, SC USA 08/28/2008 10:04 AM EST

It should be obvious to anyone, that the effort behind the remarks of Speaker Pelosi has always been directed at confusing the issue of abortion where Catholic voters are concerned. Reflecting on her remarks, let us not forget that the evil one is a master theologian, using the scripture in twisted ways to confuse people and divert them from doing God's will. So quoting St. Augustine should not give us doubt about what is clearly right. If we step back, look at her arguments and ask ourselves, "Is this person seeking first to do God's will?" and the answer is "No", then her comments, which have attempted to frame her as a conscientious Christian and her positions as acceptable to Christian values, can only be viewed as a deliberate attempt to mislead. Again, to put it plainly, she speaks lies. I can see no other way to label her statement that support for abortion is not contrary to Catholic teaching. Her defense of this position, following condemnation from bishops around the country, only demonstrates that she lies with deliberation. I, for one, am incredulous at the notion that her comments reflect a genuine attempt to form her conscience to the will of God or even that they reflect an honest opinion about what the Catholic Church teaches. Rather, I find them to be a transparent, awkward and infantile attempt to rationalize what she represents. Not for her sake but for those she would have vote in support of her agenda.

Published by: Mary McCurry
Pacifica, CA, USA 08/27/2008 08:03 PM EST

Alleluia, alleluia!!!! I along with many other Catholics have been biting our tongues raw waiting for these overdue statements of clarity on Church teaching. Too many public figures for too long have scandalized the Church and our Catholic faith along with promoting the gravest sin humanity can perpetrate on itself. Nancy Pelosi in particular has recently been so bold as to brag about her ability to make such public statements and not be corrected by her Bishop, adding further scandal. These good Bishops are speaking up and giving hope that the Great Shepherd is truly alive and present amongst us. Alleluia!!! With grace and prayer and the Holy Spirit these public figures along with millions of confused and lax Catholics will someday have their hearts and minds and souls opened to His Truth. They will then be truly worthy to lead.

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