The Pelosi Fallout Is Predictable

Other than rants from figures like AOC and Whoopi Goldberg, reaction to Abp Cordileone's banning of Speaker Pelosi from communion has been largely muted and predictable. As of yesterday, "Pelosi's office did not immediately respond to Insider's request to comment."

However, according to the Red State agggregator-blog,

The California Democrat attended mass on Sunday at Holy Trinity in Georgetown where she received Holy Communion, Politico Playbook reported. Pool reports show that President Joe Biden often attends evening masses at the parish as well.

It also cited this tweet, apparently sent to the press in error:

WOW. Washington Archdiocese accidentally sent this email to @dcexaminer admitting that it is ignoring press inquiries about whether @WashArchbishop will "bring down the hammer on Pelosi." pic.twitter.com/KPtY6gpZzu

— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) May 23, 2022

Basically, nothing has changed. Catholic politicians like Sen Durbin and President Biden have been able to avoid prohibitions from their home bishops by receiving the sacrament in Washington or, in the case of Biden, simply relying on Cardinal Gregory's continuing willingness to allow it. Pope Francis seems unwilling to step in directly:

Pope Francis today: "Sadly, there has been a change in the common mentality, and we are more led to think that life is a good at our complete disposal, that we can choose to give birth or to take a life as we please, as if it were the exclusive consequence of individual choice" pic.twitter.com/zxUUJOmdcw

— Catholic Sat (@CatholicSat) May 22, 2022

In LA, there's been no direct comment from Abp Gómez, who is President of the USCCB and has been generally aligned with Abp Cordileone on state issues like Catholic school legislation and COVID lockdowns. However, our local pastor's homily this past Sunday referred to the need to "walk the talk" in claiming to be Catholic, but he made no reference to Abp Cordileone or Speaker Pelosi. This seems to be the Church's overall approach for now, not to stoke direct controversy but as applicable to use it as a teachable moment.

It seems to me that Pelosi can finesse the issue as long as she continues to spend most of her time in Washington, and so far, she seems to show no willingness to retire, although she's 82 and likely to lose the speakership after the November election. It's hard not to conclude that she's been used to getting her own way all her life -- she is the daughter of Maryland political boss Thomas D'Alesandro Jr., who was a US representative from Maryland and mayor of Baltimore.

I suspect this will simply be another incentive for her to remain in Washington and not to retire. If she can control people like the US president, it won't be much of a stretch for her to control the Almighty as well.