Speaker Pelosi does not advance church agenda

To the editor,

Rep. Nancy Pelosi hardly deserves mention as being an asset in advancing church agenda (CR, Jan 11). I find nothing commendable in her being helpful on “certain” issues. Her stand on abortion represents a scandal of monumental proportions considering the number of lives lost in our nation’s abortion clinics. That some bishops remain mute on her ilk’s stand on abortion is no less a scandal. It is akin to their previous ill-advised silence concerning pedophile priests.

No social agenda is worth pursuing that welcomes those willing to endorse the unnecessary and unjust sacrifice of innocent lives to gain political power. The church’s mission is to proclaim salvation in Christ, not to compromise with a systemic evil. In Mathew 4:4 Jesus resisted the temptation of power with these words, “Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Those intent on social justice may benefit from a closer look at the church’s teaching on their good work. I refer specifically to the principle of subsidiarity that suggests our federal government ought to be the last place to look for assistance in addressing social injustices.

Catholic Review

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.