Pelosi's piety wins Obama's approval
By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Apr 03, 2014
Some of my friends are shocked that President Obama, on his return to DC after a visit with Pope Francis, gave a set of rosary beads blessed by the Pontiff to Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the lawmaker honored by Planned Parenthood for her “outstanding contributions to the reproductive health and rights movement.” But really, no one should be shocked. Appalled, yes; but not shocked.
If nothing else, President Obama has been consistent in his attitude toward his Catholic political allies. He has promoted Catholics who agree with him—and disagree with their Church—on the morality of government-subsidized abortion. (Remember when he nominated a “pro-choice” Catholic to be Secretary of HHS—the cabinet office most closely involved in abortion policy—and then, when that nomination fizzled, he put forward another “pro-choice Catholic?” That wasn’t a coincidence.) This White House is dedicated to the advancement of Catholics who reject the teachings of the Church—or, as I’ve put it before, to the proposition that the only good Catholic is a bad Catholic. To put it in a nutshell, Barack Obama wants to encourage the sort of piety displayed by Nancy Pelosi.
Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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Posted by: shrink -
Apr. 05, 2014 7:26 AM ET USA
I find it significant not that Obama gave the rosary to Pelosi, but that the rosary was blessed. It was burning a hole in his pocket, and thus he had to give it to someone who had pockets of spiritual asbestos. Who better than Nancy Pelosi. As is his custom, Obama once again makes a shrewd and calculated pivot away from the spiritual life.
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Posted by: filioque -
Apr. 04, 2014 10:55 PM ET USA
jg23753479 has it exactly right. As long as our bishops continue aiding and abetting the systematic dismantlement of our Catholic culture, we will see more of these outrages that outrage fewer and fewer of us.
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Posted by: jg23753479 -
Apr. 04, 2014 4:10 PM ET USA
A blessed rosary to Obama? Then passed on to Pelosi? This unavoidably brings to mind Matthew 7:6: "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces."
