Speaker Pelosi's remarks called forth many responses, from Catholics in the pews as well as from bishops. As a result, on Tuesday, August 26, two days after "Meet the Press" had aired, the Speaker's office issued a statement on her behalf. It contained this sentence: "While Catholic teaching is clear that life begins at conception, many Catholics do not ascribe[sic] to that view." That statement suggests that morality can be decided by poll, by numbers. If 90 percent of Catholics subscribe to the view that human life begins at conception, does that makes Church teaching truer than if only 70 percent or 50 percent agree?
Authentic moral teaching is based on objective truth, not polling. For instance, in 1861, as the Civil War began, a majority of the residents of Massachusetts opposed slavery, a majority of the residents of South Carolina approved of slavery, and in Missouri people were sharply divided on the issue. Does that mean that, in 1861, slavery was immoral in Massachusetts, moral in South Carolina, and something of a moral "wash" in Missouri? Sound moral teaching demands much more good sense than that.
Since August 24 many Catholics have written me letters and sent me e-mails in which they expressed their dismay and concern about the Speaker's remarks. Very often they moved on to a question that caused much discussion during the 2004 campaign: Is it necessary to deny Holy Communion to some Catholics in public life because of their public support for abortion on demand?