Weeks ago, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went on Meet the Press and
astoundingly misstated Catholic Church teaching on the sanctity of
human life from the moment of conception. Today, some news
outlets continued to report on the controversy that keeps brewing,
especially because Sen. Joe Biden did a repeat performance on the
following week’s Meet the Press.

The bishops have came out in force.

Many bishops expressed surprise that Biden would make
such comments so soon after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had made a
similar mistake on the NBC show two weeks earlier. Having described
herself as an “ardent Catholic,” she falsely claimed that the church’s
teaching on abortion has existed for only 50 years and drew on dubious
science of the first centuries after Christ to give weight to her
opinion.

Nearly 30 bishops criticised her. Cardinal Edward Egan of New York
issued the strongest statement, saying that Pelosi was misinformed and
describing her comments as “utterly incredible in this day and age.”

Church leaders have made it clear that they do not want to enter
partisan politics, but they say these politicians have forced them to
respond. They contend it is their duty to ensure that Catholics in
public office don’t misconstrue the church’s teaching.

Especially since ‘the Catholic vote’ is so important to this election. (Actually,
the header on that letter by two New York bishops is misleading. It’s
not the “bishops’ view” that they’re expressing.)