Cardinal Burke: Nancy Pelosi Must Be Denied Holy Communion

LifeSiteNews published an article regarding an interview given by Cardinal Burke, head of the Apostolic Signatura.   The article links to the full interview as reproduced by the Wanderer.

As he commented about the status of the Church in the United States, he touched on many topics: the gay agenda, abortion, Tridentine Mass.  When asked about a particularly scandalous statement that Nancy Pelosi made regarding the Faith, he replied, "Certainly this is a case when Canon 915 must be applied." (emphasis mine)  Very simply, Canon 915 states that "those obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion".

Notice that His Eminence did not say that she shouldn't present herself for Holy Communion (that would be Canon 916).  No doubt he is aware that she would arrogantly do so anyway.  In invoking Canon 915, Cardinal Burke clearly lays the onus on the two bishops who would, before God, have some spiritual responsibility for Pelosi: Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco (her home diocese) and Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington DC (her "home-away-from-home" diocese).  Cardinal Wuerl has already made known his aversion to Canon 915.  Did I say "aversion"?  Perhaps "disregard" is a better word.  In fact, recall that in Lent of 2012, he actually punished a priest, Father Marcel Guarnizo for upholding Canon 915.  Most of my Feb-March 2012 posts elaborated on that disgraceful action of the DC chancery in regard to Father Guarnizo.

What Cardinal Wuerl and so many others call a "pastoral" approach is cowardice and/or currying of favor of powerful dissidents.  There is no real regard for the eternal destinies of Pelosi and others like her.  The real pastoral approach can be found in the words and practices of both Cardinal Burke and Father Guarnizo.