Pope tells Nancy Pelosi life must be protected

On his fourth day in office last month, Obama ended a ban on funds for international groups that perform abortions or provide information on the option — a sharp policy change from former President George W. Bush‘s Republican administration.

Wednesday‘s meeting, in a small room off a Vatican auditorium after the pope‘s weekly public audience, was closed to reporters and photographers.

A short statement from the Vatican said the pope "briefly greeted" Pelosi and did not mention any other subject they may have discussed besides abortion.

Benedict said all Catholics — especially legislators, jurists and political leaders — should work to create "a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development," the Vatican said.

In a statement issued by her office, Pelosi said it was with "great joy" that she and her husband Paul met with Benedict.

"I was proud to show His Holiness a photograph of my family‘s papal visit in the 1950s, as well as a recent picture of our children and grandchildren," said the California congresswoman, who has often expressed pride in her religious heritage.

The treatment of Pelosi echoed the Vatican‘s earlier treatment of Geraldine Ferraro, a Catholic who was the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 1984. The Vatican did not disguise its irritation at Ferraro‘s position that she opposed abortion but also opposed outlawing it.

While some Vatican officials under Benedict have been openly critical of the Democrats and Obama over abortion — former St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke has said the Democrats risk becoming a "party of death" — Benedict has cautiously welcomed Obama‘s new administration.

The question of how much religion should influence American politicians came to the forefront with the 1960 election of John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic to become U.S. president, and has continued to this day.

A number of American lawmakers who support abortion rights attended Benedict‘s Mass in Washington last April, including Pelosi and Sen. John Kerry, the former Democratic presidential candidate in 2004.

During the 2004 campaign, several U.S. bishops questioned whether Kerry should receive Communion because of his stand on abortion. But no American priest or bishop tried to deny Kerry Communion. At the April 2008 papal Mass, Kerry took Communion from a priest far from the papal altar.

Pelosi also had meetings with Italian leaders in the past few days, including Premier Silvio Berlusconi.



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