By Paul E. Rondeau
On March 27, self-described “staunch Catholic” House minority leader Nancy Pelosi excitedly accepted Planned Parenthood’s highest honor, the Margaret Sanger Award—named in honor of the eugenicist who founded America’s largest abortion chain. Only days later at a luncheon on Tuesday, April 1, Pelosi was presented with a gift from Pope Francis.
However, it was not the pope who made this gift to Pelosi. In fact, just last year the Vatican criticized Pelosi’s vehement public promotion of abortion. This gift, a rosary blessed by the Holy Father of the Roman Catholic Church, was personally handed to President Barack Obama on the president’s first and likely only state visit to the Vatican. Upon his return, Obama immediately used this precious gift to reward Pelosi.
One must assume this recognition is for playing the role of Catholic shill for the Obama administration. This regifting of the pontiff’s rosary to Pelosi, who calls pro-lifers “oblivious” or “dumb,” has outraged pro-life leaders, especially those who are Catholic.
Judie Brown, president and cofounder of American Life League, the oldest Catholic pro-life group in the nation, said, “Everything that Obama has done in relation to true believing Catholics, starting with the pope himself, has been an in-your-face action toward Catholics. He is the epitome of arrogance—the ultimate audacity. This isn’t the audacity of hope; this is the audacity of shame.”
Brown, along with all faithful Catholics, has every reason to be offended by Obama passing on the pope’s gift to the likes of Pelosi.
Pelosi believes that it should be illegal for religious people to reject participation in or financial support for abortion. When asked, as a Catholic, about the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops suing the Obama administration over the abortion mandates contained in Obamacare, she inexplicably replied, “I am going to stick with my fellow Catholics in supporting the administration on this.”
Another statement by Pelosi further describes her distorted worldview: “As a mother of five children . . . as a practicing and respectful Catholic, [abortion] is sacred ground to me.”
Even though Roe v. Wade and the ensuing 40-year battle to restore the intrinsic right to life of every human being hinges on this very question, Pelosi says that when life begins “shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose.”
In the real world, such bizarre actions would beg the question of mental illness. In the new world order of Obama, it is standard operating procedure.
Pelosi renounces the teachings of her faith, places man’s government above God, and deceives herself saying she is a staunch Catholic. Obama rewards her for this irreconcilable logic with a holy gift from the leader of the very Church she defies.
One might ask if Obama purposely chose April Fools’ Day to recognize Nancy Pelosi.
Paul E. Rondeau is executive director of American Life League.