Catholic Action’s past support for Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco, has not been misplaced. He, along with Cardinal Burke, have served as Episcopal Advisors of Catholic Action since before its inception. Today, His Excellency issued a public statement (5/20/22) addressing and clarifying the situation surrounding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s ongoing and scandalous support of the intrinsic evil of abortion.

As Nancy Pelosi’s archbishop, Archbishop Cordileone is ultimately responsible for her spiritual well-being and has come to a point where deliberation must stop and where a decision just must be made. His Excellency has taken the remarkable step of putting her on public notice that she is forbidden to receive Holy Communion “unless and until she publicly repudiate her support for abortion ‘rights’” adding that she must also confess her sin and “receive absolution for her cooperation in this evil” in order to be reconciled with the Body of Christ and return to Communion with the Church. As His Excellency’s long-time friend, I can tell you that this decision didn’t come easily and is only after years of dialogue with her personally trying to convince her to change her wayward ways.

Following a prolonged period of deafening episcopal silence in the face of the scandalous positions of so-called Catholic politicians, one courageous prelate has had the integrity to stand in the public forum and speak the truth. We thank him from the bottom of our hearts!

Nancy Pelosi claims to be Catholic. Archbishop Cordileone actually is Catholic.

His Excellency appropriately invoked the Church’s universal teaching (specifically, canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law) as the basis of his decision lest anyone accuse him of acting on his own personal whims in this matter. The task of disciplining public heresy and scandal is a matter of clear and long-standing Church law to help lead the faithful to God. 

Most significantly, Archbishop Cordileone expressed how personally difficult a step it is for him to exercise Church discipline in this fashion, as he has always wished to exercise the ministry of mercy toward wayward Catholics like Pelosi. But in the face of her scandalous “obstinate denial” of the basic doctrines of the Catholic Faith, His Excellency believes his episcopal office requires such an action, as sad as it may be. 

For our part, we stand behind His Excellency one hundred percent and pledge our full support for his courageous action. In the present climate of rabid abortion activism, we are certainly aware that he will be even more fiercely attacked than he has been in the past. 

Those who wish to support His Excellency’s prayer for the conversion of Nancy Pelosi with fasting and prayer are invited to access an excellent prayer campaign at the Benedict XVI Institute’s website. 

Your Excellency, Archbishop Cordileone, we and all our Catholic Action allies are fully behind you!

Your friend in Christ,

Thomas J McKenna
http://www.catholicaction.org/