San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone provoked howls of outrage Friday when he announced that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D–Calif.) may not present herself for Holy Communion, the central sacrament of Catholic life, because of her position on abortion rights. Democratic politicians and a chorus of cable pundits have since argued that the prelate should stick to religion and have the good sense to stay out of politics.
Religious believers have as much right to civic engagement in the United States as anyone. But Cordileone's move to bar Pelosi from the Eucharist actually had a religious motivation: his desire, as her pastor, to bring about repentance from a position that he says imperils her soul.
