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Nancy Pelosi on Cleric Who Barred Her From Communion: ‘That’s His Problem, Not Mine’

“Maybe one day women will be able to do that as well,” she said. “That’s something to think about, and I was hoping the pope would too.”

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, speaks at Georgetown University’s Center on Faith and Justice with Jim Wallis, left, March 23, 2023, in Washington. RNS photo by Jack Jenkins

She also outlined the complex role her faith plays in her politics. She invoked religious lines she uses often on the stump, such as referring to the “spark of divinity in every person,” but also acknowledged the tension between her religious beliefs and her respect for the separation of church and state.

“We’re big enough to accommodate God’s work in our public arena without having a state religion,” she said. “Our priority is to honor the Constitution with our values, but not dictating a state religion in order to do that.”

Asked about prayer, Pelosi said “I believe in prayer, I really do,” and thanked those who have prayed for her husband, Paul, who was brutally attacked in their home late last year.

She also reflected on the perception that some Democrats are reluctant to speak about their faith as often as their Republican colleagues. Pelosi attributed the trend partly to concerns about hypocrisy.

“If we’re going to pray in church on Sunday, or whatever day of the week, let us avoid preying on people … the rest of the week,” she said, adding she is frequently frustrated by lawmakers who reference their faith often but are less vocal “when we talk about feeding, sheltering, clothing, respecting” others.

Near the end of her remarks, Pelosi made a point to highlight concerns about transgender Americans, noting that Republicans in various state legislatures have developed hundreds of bills “to attack trans families.”

Her comments come just days after the USCCB’s doctrine committee unveiled a document discouraging Catholic health care groups from performing gender-affirming medical procedures used by transgender people.

“All God’s children — they all have their own dignity and worth, their own individuality, their own authenticity,” she said, referring to transgender Americans. “That’s a beautiful thing for us to embrace: all God’s creation.”

This article originally appeared here.