Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco announced Friday, May 20, that he would bar Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, from receiving holy communion in his diocese, which is also Ms. Pelosi’s home diocese. 

His decision comes after a lengthy and polarized debate over the past two years among U.S. bishops over whether to mandate a blanket ban on pro-choice politicians receiving communion. Ultimately, and after direct intervention from the Vatican, the U.S. bishops decided not to pursue a joint pastoral teaching on the matter. The decision to deny communion would remain with each individual bishop.

On “Inside the Vatican” this week, host Colleen Dulle asks Gerald O’Connell, America Vatican correspondent, how Archbishop Cordileone’s statement has been received at the Vatican and whether the Vatican will intervene..  

After the break, we look into a change Pope Francis made to canon law which would open leadership positions in priestly religious orders to members who are lay brothers, not priests. We’ll talk about what effects this could have going forward.

[Listen and subscribe to Inside the Vatican on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.]

Links from the show:

Gloria Purvis Podcast: Archbishop Cordileone explains why he will bar Nancy Pelosi from Communion

Behind the Story Video: Archbishop Cordileone declares Nancy Pelosi cannot receive Communion

Archbishop bars Nancy Pelosi from Communion in her home diocese, citing ‘aggressive’ defense of abortion rights

Nancy Pelosi responds to being barred from Communion: I respect pro-life views but not ‘foisting them onto others’

Deep Dive: What you need to know about the Communion Wars in the U.S. Church

Pope Francis: ‘I have never denied Communion to anyone.

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