Archbishop Coakley on Political Interactions

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley has expressed his opposition to prioritizing politicians in Church matters.

Elected as the next president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops through a secret ballot on Tuesday, Coakley will hold the position for a three-year term.

He has established a clear stance against engaging with certain politicians, referencing instances from over a decade ago to support his viewpoint.

Most notably, in 2022, Coakley backed Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone of San Francisco, who made headlines for deciding to deny communion to Representative Nancy Pelosi due to her stance on abortion. Pelosi, a Democrat from California, has faced significant criticism for supporting legislation that has led to numerous abortion-related bills being blocked.

Given that Pelosi’s district is in San Francisco, Cordileone’s repeated attempts to discuss her support for what he termed “grave evils” led to his decision to refuse her communion.

Coakley praised Cordileone’s strength in making this tough decision, stating, “I applaud Archbishop Cordileone’s courage and leadership in taking this difficult step. We should all pray for the unborn and for a change of heart.”

His consistency on this matter is also highlighted in a 2014 interview, where he addressed the issue of denying Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who strongly advocate for abortion rights.

He noted the importance of determining when a politician is persistently ignoring the Church’s teachings, saying, “We must assess when they have reached a point of stubborn refusal to abandon such grave sin.” He emphasized the role of bishops in encouraging dialogue, stating that refusing communion should be a final recourse rather than an initial response.

When pressed about the potential for refusal of communion, Coakley clarified, “That option is absolutely not off the table. Canon law allows for it, and many bishops find themselves needing to make that difficult choice.” He reiterated that for some, this decision is, in fact, the only viable option.

In his inaugural statement, Coakley reflected on stepping into this new role, expressing his thoughts: “The Lord is calling me once again. Please pray that I may faithfully serve as a minister of unity and communion.”