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U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wields the gavel Dec. 18, 2019, after the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of two counts of impeachment against U.S. President Donald Trump. In the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, the lawmakers approved one charge against Trump of abuse of power and one charge of obstruction of Congress. (CNS photo/Jonathan Ernst, Reuters)
Editor's note: This letter is in response to the reader letter "Faithful witness is everyone's job" (Dec. 19, 2019, issue). Another reader's response to that letter ("Pelosi letter 'distressing'') was posted here Dec. 22, prompting 70 comments (mostly unfavorable to Pelosi) and 71 reactions (mostly favorable).
Dec. 30, 2019
Kenneth Castellano
San Francisco
Letter to the Editor
Catholic San Francisco
Editor:
Pope Francis warned, "To hate is to murder in your heart." He said, "Politicians should never sow hate and fear, only hope." So I was pleased when Nancy Pelosi was asked, "Do you hate the President?" and she responded that she was raised in a Catholic home and taught not to hate anybody. She added, "I'm a Catholic. I don't hate the President, I pray for him all the time."
In a recent letter to the editor a San Diego reader takes offense with Nancy Pelosi calling herself a Catholic. He asserts "she does not follow the teaching of the Catholic Church or even the Ten Commandments." Why are female elected officials like Pelosi criticized in ways that male politicians never experience? It's fair to criticize the policies of politician but not their faith.
I'm not qualified to judge who is or isn't a good Catholic. What I know about Nancy Pelosi, my congressperson since 1987, is that she's a devoted mother and grandmother and has been married to her husband for over 50 years. In her long career she has served our country honorably and without scandal.
She advocates for human rights, the prevention of gun violence, compassionate treatment of refugees, affordable health care and combating climate change. She calls San Francisco, "the city of Saint Francis" and recites from a prayer attributed to our city's patron saint. She and her family volunteer at St. Anthony's Dining Room in the Tenderloin. She builds bridges rather than walls. I wish more of our nation's leaders were like her.
Editor's note: In November 2019 the U.S. Catholic bishops approved adding new materials to complement "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship," their long-standing guide to help Catholics form their consciences in public life, including voting, according to a Catholic News Service report. The addition included the statement that called abortion the preeminent social issue of our time.Letters policy
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