New head of US Catholic Bishops said he would deny communion to pro-abortion politicians



Archbishop Paul S. Coakley is not in favor of giving politicians preferential treatment.

Coakley, archbishop of Oklahoma City, was elected as the next president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in a secret ballot on Tuesday and will serve a three-year term as president.

'I think in many cases it becomes the right decision and the only choice.'

Coakley has set a strong precedent for supporting the denial of communion to certain politicians that dates back more than a decade.

Most recently, in 2022, Coakley spoke in support of Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone of San Francisco. As reported by Life News, Cordileone decided to withhold communion from Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) at the time after she backed the Democrats as they blocked a vote on a bill to stop infanticide at least 80 times.

As Pelosi's district encompasses San Francisco, Cordileone informed Pelosi she would be denied communion following her repeated dismissal of the archbishop, who attempted to speak with her about supporting "grave evil."

Coakley supported the decision, saying, "I applaud the courage of Archbishop Cordileone and his leadership in taking this difficult step. Let us continue to pray for Abp. Cordileone, priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, Speaker Pelosi, for the protection of the unborn, and for the conversion of hearts and minds."

The new USCCB president has remained consistent, and the proof is showcased in an interview he gave in 2014.

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— (@)

After Coakley said that many Catholic politicians have been at the forefront of "fostering so-called abortion rights," he was asked about denying them communion due to the "severity" of their support for abortion.

Coakley replied, "I think one has to determine yet at what point it can be determined that they have come to that state of obstinate refusal to desist from that condition of manifest, grave sin."

He told Life Site News, "I think we have an obligation as bishops, as pastors, to try to work with them to bring them to a change of heart and refusing them communion would be, not the first, but more than likely, the last stage in a serious [sic] of steps."

The outlet then clarified, asking if it was something he would rule out or not.

"Oh, absolutely not," Coakley reiterated. "I think it is something that Canon Law sanctions and that I think many bishops find themselves with no other choice but to make that decision. I think in many cases it becomes the right decision and the only choice."

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VATICAN - 2022/06/29: US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R), with her husband, Paul Pelosi (C), attend a Holy Mass for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul lead by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica. (Photo by Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Upon accepting his new role, Coakley wrote a statement on X about being "put out into deep waters" in his new position.

"Once again, the Lord is inviting me," he wrote. "Please pray that I may be a faithful steward and a wise servant of unity and communion with our Holy Father, Pope Leo, and with my brother bishops."

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Pro-choice Catholic group blasphemes in support of abortion, pushes pro-abortion message during prayer vigil



The 49th annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., is well under way, as thousands of pro-life advocates gather to show their support for ending legal abortion.

Considering that the catechism of the Catholic Church expressly prohibits and opposes abortion, the March for Life historically garners substantial support from many different Catholic organizations. One such institution, the Catholic University of America — located in the nation's capital — cancels classes so that students may show solidarity with the pro-life cause. And every year, Catholic groups across the country send buses full of people to Washington, where they gather to pray for the overturning of Roe v. Wade and march to protect the rights of the unborn.

However, it appears that not every nominally Catholic organization is interested in adhering to the Vatican's teachings on abortion. Catholics for Choice — a pro-abortion organization — openly defies established Catholic doctrine and advocates for a "full range of reproductive healthcare services, including safe and legal abortion."

This group's open defiance of the catechism was on full display Thursday night, as the organization projected a pro-abortion message onto the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception to protest the parish's pre-March for Life prayer vigil.

So I\u2019m outside the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC, and Catholics for Choice is here projecting messages onto the church in support of abortion rights.\n\nThe protest coincides with the basilica\u2019s \u201cprayer vigil for life,\u201d happening inside.pic.twitter.com/0y1M7X9ByC
— Jack Jenkins (@Jack Jenkins) 1642721480

The pro-choice organization's protest was met with a mix of online condemnation and applause, with leaders in the church labeling the sophomoric antics an "attempted desecration" and "diabolical."

The attempted desecration is enormous. Diabolical. Mother Mary, pray for them, now and at the hour of death. Amen.https://twitter.com/APdubs/status/1484339408169885704\u00a0\u2026
— Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone (@Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone) 1642735083

This year's March for Life is of particular importance to many attendees, as the Supreme Court will rule in the coming months on whether a Mississippi law preventing abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy is constitutional. Should the Supreme Court uphold the Mississippi state law, it may also overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case legalizing abortion.

Should Roe v. Wade get overturned, several states stand at the ready to introduce robust legal protections for the unborn.

Since 1973, there have been a total of 63,459,781 abortions in the United States, the overwhelming majority of which are sought for reasons unrelated to the mother's physical or mental health. As of 2016, there are 186 abortions performed for every 1,000 live births — about one in five children are aborted.

The March for Life is the largest pro-life rally in the United States, with thousands of attendees each year. With the Supreme Court approaching a verdict in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, it's possible that the United States enters an era when abortion is not protected at the federal level — at which point, Catholics for Choice will still be blasphemous.

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