The day before House Speaker Nancy Pelosi met with Pope Benedict XVI in Rome, Catholic news aggregate PewSitter.com launched an online petition to withhold communion from Catholic politicians who support abortion rights. As explained on the blog Catholic Fire:
“The goal of the petition drive is to gather a least 1 million petitions for presentation to the U.S. Bishops and the Vatican.…While the Catholic faithful understand and support the behind-the-scenes dialogue and diplomacy that goes on with prominent Catholics, by the Bishops, to reconcile them with the Church — when such dissent continues for years and in some cases decades – – in spite of the actions and activities that have been undertaken by past and present Bishops – – then it becomes necessary for a Bishop to take a formal public stand to prevent further scandal.Unfortunately what has happened is that prominent, dissenting Catholics, in public life have continued to receive communion with impunity