SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – State Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) received bomb threats at his Castro neighborhood home and at his office, he stated in a press release Tuesday.

“Early this morning, I was informed by the San Francisco Standard and the police that someone had issued a bomb threat against me, listing my specific home address and also threatening to shoot up my Capitol office,” Wiener stated. “The email said ‘we will f—— kill you’ and called me a pedophile and groomer.”

Officers were dispatched “at approximately 6:03 am” Tuesday, San Francisco Police Department Public Information Officer Niccole Pacchetti told KRON4 News.

“Officers arrived on scene and conducted a search of the home but did not locate an explosive device,” Pacchetti stated. “The incident was determined to not have any merit.”

Wiener was a target of a bomb threat earlier this year. In a separate incident, a San Ramon man was found guilty in September for threatening to kill him.

Wiener, who is gay and Jewish, has been a frequent target of homophobic and anti-Semitic statements on social media. Legislation that Wiener proposed, which was since signed into law, in the areas of transgender rights and the California sex offender registry, has led to his being targeted, the senator stated.

“This latest wave of death threats against me relates to my work to end discrimination against LGBTQ people in the criminal justice system and my work to ensure the safety of transgender children and their families,” Wiener stated. “Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and MAGA activist Charlie Kirk recently tweeted homophobic lies about me, falsely accusing me of supporting pedophiles and child ‘mutilation.’”

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The sex offender law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020, did not change any criminal penalties, but did allow those convicted of sexual relations that are not penile-vaginal sexual intercourse with a minor of the same sex the ability to ask a judge they not be placed on the sex offender registry , provided the minor was 14 or above and they were within 10 years of the age of the minor.

With regard to penile-vaginal intercourse, this had been the case for some time, but the ability to petition a judge did not exist in cases where there’d been oral, rectal or digital penetration. Misunderstandings about the law have been prevalent on social media, the Associated Press reports.

Marjorie Taylor Greene hurls homophobic slur at Bay Area Rep

The most recent threat to Wiener’s life came in the aftermath of a massacre at a Colorado gay bar and a warning to the LGBTQ and Jewish communities from the United States Department of Health and Human Services regarding their safety.

“The extreme homophobic and transphobic rhetoric that has escalated on social media and right wing media outlets has real world impacts. It leads to harassment, stalking, threats, and violence against our community. People are dying as a result. Responsible political leaders on the right must call it out and stop tolerating it,” Wiener stated. “I will always fight for the LGBTQ community — and for the community as a whole — and will never let these threats stop that work.”

The post San Francisco legislator receives one other bomb risk appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

WEST ALLIS, Wis. — Volunteers are making sure a few local families “Feel The Love” by installing new HVAC units before winter approaches.

Alex Simon has been installing heating and air conditioning systems for Kettle Moraine Heating & Air Conditioning for three years.

He joined other volunteers on Saturday as a part of the “Feel The Love” campaign, a program by the HVAC systems company, Lennox, where volunteers install free HVAC units for families in need.

“We are in the industry of helping people and especially like today, where we are helping someone who really does need it. It makes you feel good,” said Simon.

(Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)

Since the program began, Lennox has provided more than 1,000 furnaces to families.

On Saturday, some of those units went to the Voss family.

As their medical bills piled up, Diane Voss said they found out they needed to replace their HVAC unit.

And they didn’t know how they were going to get the money to pay for the new equipment and installation. Then, the “Feel The Love” campaign came in to answer their prayer, Diane Voss said.

“I was hoping and doing lots of praying. I talked to my daughters, and they did lots of praying. When they came out and interviewed us, they said that we can get one. I’m just ecstatic, overwhelmed and so thankful for everybody,” said Diane Voss.

“They really brought the people, a big crew of people, to install it,” her husband, Greg Voss added.

(Spectrum News 1/Phillip Boudreaux)

Lennox chooses families and individuals based on their commitment and service to those around them.

Simon said it brings him great joy to give people, like the Voss family, the proper heating system when the temperature drops.

“It’s definitely a lot of hard work and plus, it’s long and you gotta like what you do,” he said.

Marc Marchillo of Kettle Moraine Heating & Air Conditioning said he’s appreciative that their customers, and the company owners Bill Brink and Lennox, allow them to give back to the community.

“You can just feel the good vibes and the happiness. You can ‘Feel The Love.’ That’s where the name came from,” said Marchillo. “When you talk to the homeowners, recipients, you can see it in their eyes. They are so grateful. It’s good vibes, and that’s why we do it.”

The post West Allis household receives new HVAC system appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

More than 500,000 caregivers eligible to receive paid, comprehensive training from national and state leaders
in home care best practices

SAN FRANCISCO, october 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Homebridge, op san francisco based organization dedicated to quality in-home supportive services, has received a state grant of up to $16.2 million to strengthen California’s Caregiving workforce through the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Career Pathways Program. The program, set to launch this month, will provide a broad array of training and career opportunities to the 550,000 IHSS home care providers who serve more than 650,000 residents statewide.

IHSS workers comprise a large portion of California’s direct care workforce which currently outnumbers every single occupation in California. Demand for quality in-home care and supportive services will keep growing as California’s over-65 population is projected to reach 8.6 million – 1 in 5 residents – by 2030 with an 88% increase in older adults with self-care limitations.

“Homebridge was founded on the principle that a skilled and supported caregiving workforce is fundamental to providing quality home care and we have upheld that value as a leader of exceptional provider training in the Bay Area since 1985,” said Mark Burns, Executive Director of Homebridge. “We are honored to contribute our values ​​and expertise to help meet the urgent and growing need for quality home care throughout California.”

Homebridge will provide a complex offering of more than 65 different classes in five languages ​​to thousands of participants beginning in early 2023. All IHSS and Waiver Personal Care Services (WPCS) Providers in California are eligible for the paid online and in-person courses designed to enhance skills and knowledge across a wide range of caregiving topics.

To develop this ambitious program, Homebridge is partnering with state and national organizations who are well-known and highly respected leaders in the field – Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), Futuro Health, PHI and the Zen Caregiving Project. The unique partnership will provide preparation and training that supports the broad diversity and increasingly complex needs of today’s care recipients.

“san francisco has long been a leader in funding training for caregivers in the In-Home Supportive Services program,” stated Kelly Dearman, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS). “This leadership has helped pave the way for Homebridge to roll out their training statewide, and this broad range of programs will benefit our workforce with valuable educational and career opportunities as well as help address the critical shortage of caregivers in our City and state head on .”

Homebridge is also partnering with two statewide organizations to better understand and address the critical needs of providers and consumers – the California IHSS Consumer Alliance (CICA) who represent California’s IHSS consumers, and the California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA) who represent the Public Authorities who provide supportive services for IHSS providers. “It’s a first!” commented Janie Whiteford, President of CICA. “Linking the voices of consumers with provider training and education has never been done like this before. We are delighted to be partnering with Homebridge to achieve this important milestone which will certainly improve the quality of care for thousands of Californians.”

The IHSS Career Pathways Program, administered by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), emerged from an initiative of the California Master Plan for Aging (MPA) launched by the Newsom Administration in Jan 2021.

One of the MPA’s five goals is dedicated to addressing the gaps in caregiving that is currently plaguing communities statewide. The plan aims to strengthen the direct care workforce and create one million high quality direct care jobs by 2031. The IHSS Career Pathways Program includes some of the MPA’s key strategies for achieving this goal: providing training and career pathway opportunities and a heightened focus on equity and cultural and linguistic competence.

About Homebridge: Homebridge is California’s only nonprofit dedicated to providing direct IHSS services and IHSS workforce training. The Homebridge client-centered model of care is tailored to provide innovative at-home and community based care for individuals with complex health, behavioral, and social needs. Homebridge care provides personal and intensive home care services that bridge the gap between healthcare and social services delivery.

About San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS)
About Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
About Futuro Health
About PHI
About Zen Caregiving Project
About California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA)
About California IHSS Consumer Alliance

CONTACT: Erin Saberi (916) 952-5080/[email protected]

SOURCE Open Square Connect

The post San Francisco-Primarily based Homebridge Receives $16.2 Million Grant to Strengthen California’s Caregiving Workforce appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

More than 500,000 caregivers eligible to receive paid, comprehensive training from national and state leaders
in home care best practices

SAN FRANCISCO, october 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Homebridge, op san francisco based organization dedicated to quality in-home supportive services, has received a state grant of up to $16.2 million to strengthen California’s Caregiving workforce through the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Career Pathways Program. The program, set to launch this month, will provide a broad array of training and career opportunities to the 550,000 IHSS home care providers who serve more than 650,000 residents statewide.

IHSS workers comprise a large portion of California’s direct care workforce which currently outnumbers every single occupation in California. Demand for quality in-home care and supportive services will keep growing as California’s over-65 population is projected to reach 8.6 million – 1 in 5 residents – by 2030 with an 88% increase in older adults with self-care limitations.

“Homebridge was founded on the principle that a skilled and supported caregiving workforce is fundamental to providing quality home care and we have upheld that value as a leader of exceptional provider training in the Bay Area since 1985,” said Mark Burns, Executive Director of Homebridge. “We are honored to contribute our values ​​and expertise to help meet the urgent and growing need for quality home care throughout California.”

Homebridge will provide a complex offering of more than 65 different classes in five languages ​​to thousands of participants beginning in early 2023. All IHSS and Waiver Personal Care Services (WPCS) Providers in California are eligible for the paid online and in-person courses designed to enhance skills and knowledge across a wide range of caregiving topics.

To develop this ambitious program, Homebridge is partnering with state and national organizations who are well-known and highly respected leaders in the field – Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), Futuro Health, PHI and the Zen Caregiving Project. The unique partnership will provide preparation and training that supports the broad diversity and increasingly complex needs of today’s care recipients.

Story continues

“san francisco has long been a leader in funding training for caregivers in the In-Home Supportive Services program,” stated Kelly Dearman, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS). “This leadership has helped pave the way for Homebridge to roll out their training statewide, and this broad range of programs will benefit our workforce with valuable educational and career opportunities as well as help address the critical shortage of caregivers in our City and state head on .”

Homebridge is also partnering with two statewide organizations to better understand and address the critical needs of providers and consumers – the California IHSS Consumer Alliance (CICA) who represent California’s IHSS consumers, and the California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA) who represent the Public Authorities who provide supportive services for IHSS providers. “It’s a first!” commented Janie Whiteford, President of CICA. “Linking the voices of consumers with provider training and education has never been done like this before. We are delighted to be partnering with Homebridge to achieve this important milestone which will certainly improve the quality of care for thousands of Californians.”

The IHSS Career Pathways Program, administered by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), emerged from an initiative of the California Master Plan for Aging (MPA) launched by the Newsom Administration in Jan 2021.

One of the MPA’s five goals is dedicated to addressing the gaps in caregiving that is currently plaguing communities statewide. The plan aims to strengthen the direct care workforce and create one million high quality direct care jobs by 2031. The IHSS Career Pathways Program includes some of the MPA’s key strategies for achieving this goal: providing training and career pathway opportunities and a heightened focus on equity and cultural and linguistic competence.

About Homebridge: Homebridge is California’s only nonprofit dedicated to providing direct IHSS services and IHSS workforce training. The Homebridge client-centered model of care is tailored to provide innovative at-home and community based care for individuals with complex health, behavioral, and social needs. Homebridge care provides personal and intensive home care services that bridge the gap between healthcare and social services delivery.

About San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS)
About Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
About Futuro Health
About PHI
About Zen Caregiving Project
About California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA)
About California IHSS Consumer Alliance

CONTACT: Erin Saberi (916) 952-5080/esaberi@me.com

surgery

View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/san-francisco-based-homebridge-receives-16-2-million-grant-to-strengthen-californias-caregiving-workforce-301648691 .html

SOURCE Open Square Connect

The post San Francisco-Based mostly Homebridge Receives $16.2 Million Grant to Strengthen California’s Caregiving Workforce appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

More than 500,000 caregivers eligible to receive paid, comprehensive training from national and state leaders
in home care best practices

SAN FRANCISCO, october 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Homebridge, op san francisco based organization dedicated to quality in-home supportive services, has received a state grant of up to $16.2 million to strengthen California’s Caregiving workforce through the In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Career Pathways Program. The program, set to launch this month, will provide a broad array of training and career opportunities to the 550,000 IHSS home care providers who serve more than 650,000 residents statewide.

IHSS workers comprise a large portion of California’s direct care workforce which currently outnumbers every single occupation in California. Demand for quality in-home care and supportive services will keep growing as California’s over-65 population is projected to reach 8.6 million – 1 in 5 residents – by 2030 with an 88% increase in older adults with self-care limitations.

“Homebridge was founded on the principle that a skilled and supported caregiving workforce is fundamental to providing quality home care and we have upheld that value as a leader of exceptional provider training in the Bay Area since 1985,” said Mark Burns, Executive Director of Homebridge. “We are honored to contribute our values ​​and expertise to help meet the urgent and growing need for quality home care throughout California.”

Homebridge will provide a complex offering of more than 65 different classes in five languages ​​to thousands of participants beginning in early 2023. All IHSS and Waiver Personal Care Services (WPCS) Providers in California are eligible for the paid online and in-person courses designed to enhance skills and knowledge across a wide range of caregiving topics.

To develop this ambitious program, Homebridge is partnering with state and national organizations who are well-known and highly respected leaders in the field – Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), Futuro Health, PHI and the Zen Caregiving Project. The unique partnership will provide preparation and training that supports the broad diversity and increasingly complex needs of today’s care recipients.

“san francisco has long been a leader in funding training for caregivers in the In-Home Supportive Services program,” stated Kelly Dearman, Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS). “This leadership has helped pave the way for Homebridge to roll out their training statewide, and this broad range of programs will benefit our workforce with valuable educational and career opportunities as well as help address the critical shortage of caregivers in our City and state head on .”

Homebridge is also partnering with two statewide organizations to better understand and address the critical needs of providers and consumers – the California IHSS Consumer Alliance (CICA) who represent California’s IHSS consumers, and the California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA) who represent the Public Authorities who provide supportive services for IHSS providers. “It’s a first!” commented Janie Whiteford, President of CICA. “Linking the voices of consumers with provider training and education has never been done like this before. We are delighted to be partnering with Homebridge to achieve this important milestone which will certainly improve the quality of care for thousands of Californians.”

The IHSS Career Pathways Program, administered by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), emerged from an initiative of the California Master Plan for Aging (MPA) launched by the Newsom Administration in Jan 2021.

One of the MPA’s five goals is dedicated to addressing the gaps in caregiving that is currently plaguing communities statewide. The plan aims to strengthen the direct care workforce and create one million high quality direct care jobs by 2031. The IHSS Career Pathways Program includes some of the MPA’s key strategies for achieving this goal: providing training and career pathway opportunities and a heightened focus on equity and cultural and linguistic competence.

About Homebridge: Homebridge is California’s only nonprofit dedicated to providing direct IHSS services and IHSS workforce training. The Homebridge client-centered model of care is tailored to provide innovative at-home and community based care for individuals with complex health, behavioral, and social needs. Homebridge care provides personal and intensive home care services that bridge the gap between healthcare and social services delivery.

About San Francisco Department of Disability and Aging Services (DAS)
About Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
About Futuro Health
About PHI
About Zen Caregiving Project
About California Association of Public Authorities (CAPA)
About California IHSS Consumer Alliance

CONTACT: Erin Saberi (916) 952-5080/[email protected]

SOURCE Open Square Connect

The post San Francisco-Based mostly Homebridge Receives $16.2 Million Grant to Strengthen California’s Caregiving Workforce appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

After police were notified, they began looking for answers about Cole’s whereabouts. This included searching her home. When they arrived at the property, they didn’t see any signs of a struggle, but they did notice a shotgun in a bedroom. Eventually, they learned that it had been given to her by Jason Garland, a handyman that Cole had employed. When asked about the gun, Garland said that he had given it to her because she had been “afraid” but didn’t elaborate.

During the search, officials also found her cell phone. Later, they retrieved text messages between Cole and Demich, another handyman who had completed work for her. One message, in particular, that was sent after the concert stated that she would call him on Saturday. It also revealed that she had sent him some money through Cash App. However, when they looked through Demich’s phone, they could not locate the text, leading them to believe that it had been deleted.

Demich denied being at Cole’s home, despite Lyft account data showing that he had taken a ride from his home to hers on February 24 at 7:06 PM.

The post Handyman Receives Life Sentence After Murdering ‘Second Mom’ And Hiding Physique In Septic Tank appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Jun. 6—A Madison Village-based company has secured national recognition for superior accomplishments in its profession.

Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air recently was named 2022 Medium Contractor of the Year by the National Comfort Institute. NCI presented that award as part of its annual conference in Scottsdale, Arizona.

This honor salutes a heating, ventilation and air conditioning contracting firm’s outstanding achievements in high-performance contracting, quality workmanship and dedication to customer service.

Companies in the Medium award category attained between $2 million and $6 million in annual sales.

Hearn Administrative Manager Dennielle Hearn said the company was delighted to win the award.

“It was a very pleasant surprise,” she said. “We’re extremely proud of our team, and excited to see their hard work recognized on a national level.”

Tom Hearn, the company’s owner and general manager and Dennielle’s husband, accepted the award at the conference in Arizona.

During that same event, National Comfort Institute also named HVAC contractors of the year in the Small and Large categories. NCI classifies small contractors as those recording sales below $2 million a year; while large contractors achieve sales of more than $6 million annually.

NCI selects heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractors of the year based on specific standards. To be eligible for the award, companies:

—Must be in the process of, or already completed, implementing high-performance testing as prescribed by the National Comfort Institute.

—Must have in place or be in the process of having in place a performance-based business culture.

—Must have a strong service department, and sell and maintain service agreements.

—Must target system renovation sales in addition to equipment replacement sales.

—Must include training as part of the company culture.

NCI-certified contractors, such as Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air, send their service professionals to NCI classes, where they train to use specialized equipment, and stay up-to-date on the latest diagnostic and repair techniques.

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In addition, NCI monitors its certified contractors and requires recertification every two years.

Over the past two decades, NCI has trained and certified more than 20,000 HVAC professionals.

Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air was founded in 1946 under a slightly different name by David Hearn.

The business, then known as David Hearn Plumbing & Heating, set up its headquarters inside a barn in the back yard of the owner’s home on North Lake Street in Madison Village.

David’s son, Dan, then became an official employee after graduating from high school. Eventually, the company evolved into David Hearn and Son Inc. Plumbing & Heating Supplies and Service.

In 1980, the father-and-son duo relocated their business from the backyard barn to a building on West Main Street in downtown Madison Village.

David and Dan bought the Kimball Brothers Hardware Store, where the elder Hearn once worked.

The Hearns simultaneously operated Madison Hardware and ran the plumbing and heating business from the rear section of the building.

In the early 2000s, David retired, and a decision was made to close Madison Hardware. But the plumbing and heating business continued, with Dan welcoming aboard son Tom to help lead the company.

Around that same time, Dan and Tom built Hearn’s new shop at 319 Lake St. The business is nearly across street from the house and barn owned by David, who died in 2004.

In the years that followed, Tom played a pivotal leadership role in helping to chart a new course for the company’s success.

Today, Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air focuses on working in residential homes and providing excellent service to its customers. The company employs 16 people and tallied more than $2.7 million in sales in 2021.

The post Hearn Plumbing, Heating & Air receives nationwide award appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

WASHINGTON (RNS) — Two days after Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco announced he would bar her from receiving the Eucharist in her home city due to her stance on abortion rights, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly received the sacrament at a Catholic church in the nation’s capital.

According to Politico’s Playbook, Pelosi received Communion on Sunday (May 22) during Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown, a parish where President Joe Biden has also attended services. Footage from the church’s live stream of the service shows a person in an orange jacket resembling Pelosi coming forward as the Eucharist is being distributed and walking away behind other worshipers.

It’s not unusual for Pelosi, a Catholic who often discusses her faith, to attend Mass, but her decision to receive the Eucharist at Holy Trinity amounted to a rebuke of Cordileone, who is well known for his conservative and sometimes controversial views.

According to the Rev. John Beal, a canon lawyer and professor at the Catholic University of America, Cordileone’s ban is not believed to affect Pelosi’s ability to take Communion outside of churches under the archbishop’s purview.

“It applies only to ministers, ordained and non-ordained, in the Archdiocese of San Francisco,” Beal told Religion News Service in an email, noting that it applies to diocesan leaders as well as those who belong to a religious order. “It does not apply outside the Archdiocese.”

RELATED: Citing abortion rights, San Francisco Archbishop bars Pelosi from Communion

Several conservative bishops voiced support for Cordileone’s decision after his Friday announcement, but Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the leader of the Archdiocese of Washington, is one of several who have signaled that they don’t have any plans to deny Communion to politicians dissenting from church teaching . In 2020, when bishops and other Catholics began debating whether to deny Communion to Biden, a Democrat who backs abortion rights, Gregory told RNS he would continue to offer the president the sacrament.

“I don’t want to go to the table with a gun on the table first,” he said.

Asked if the policy remains in place for Pelosi as well, representatives for the Washington archdiocese did not immediately respond.

In this Sunday, April 12, 2020, file photo, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone celebrates Easter Mass, which was livestreamed, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Pope Francis met with Pelosi at the Vatican last year and in the past told reporters he has never denied anyone the Eucharist. After the pontiff met with Biden at the Vatican in October, the president said the pope told him to “keep receiving communion” despite heated debate about the issue among US bishops at the time.

Francis has not backed away from the church’s longstanding opposition to abortion. On Sunday, the pope celebrated a group participating in an Italian anti-abortion demonstration and stated that life “is always sacred and inviolable, and we cannot silence the voice of conscience.”

The Rev. Benjamin Hawley, a priest at Holy Trinity, mentioned the back-and-forth over abortion and communion in his Sunday homily, wrapping his sermon around a theme of God’s love. Hawley singled out three things he described as “weapons of mass destruction” that are “destroying our civic and church cultures” — exclusion, repression and scorn.

“Inhabitants of these latter cultures think they can solve the challenges of immigration at home, radical Islam abroad, abortion, Latin Mass, communion for political figures, coastal elites, and many others by excluding, repressing and scorning one group to leave their own group standing — perhaps as a white evangelical nation, a smaller, purer church, or coastal elites become national,” he said.

RELATED: Pope Francis meets with US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the Vatican

Hawley called for conservative and liberal Catholics and all Americans to come together, while admitting that major obstacles stood in the way in both the political and religious spheres.

“Worst of all for culture, country and church are the election deniers and Vatican II deniers who would exclude, repress and scorn all of us to gain the authoritarian control of culture, country and church,” he said.

In 2004, as then Senator John Kerry ran for president, a smattering of clerics threatened to bar him from taking Communion, though he was never denied the sacrament. During his White House run, Biden was reportedly denied Communion at a South Carolina parish in 2019 by a priest who justified the refusal by citing Biden’s support for abortion rights.

The post Banned from Communion in San Francisco, Pelosi receives Eucharist in Washington appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

washington — Two days after San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone announced he would bar her from receiving the Eucharist in her home city due to her stance on abortion rights, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly received the sacrament at a Catholic church in the nation’s capital.

According to Politico’s Playbook newsletter, Pelosi received Communion on May 22 during Mass at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Georgetown, a parish where President Joe Biden has also attended services. Footage from the church’s live stream of the service shows a person in an orange jacket resembling Pelosi coming forward as the Eucharist is being distributed and walking away behind other worshipers.

It’s not unusual for Pelosi, a Catholic who often discusses her faith, to attend Mass, but her decision to receive the Eucharist at Holy Trinity amounted to a rebuke of Cordileone, who is well known for his conservative and sometimes controversial views.

According to Fr. John Beal, a canon lawyer and professor at The Catholic University of America, Cordileone’s ban is not believed to affect Pelosi’s ability to take Communion outside of churches under the archbishop’s purview.

“It applies only to ministers, ordained and non-ordained, in the Archdiocese of San Francisco,” Beal told Religion News Service in an email, noting that it applies to diocesan leaders as well as those who belong to a religious order. “It does not apply outside the Archdiocese.”

Several conservative bishops voiced support for Cordileone’s decision after his May 20 announcement, but Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the leader of the Archdiocese of Washington, is one of several who have signaled that they don’t have any plans to deny Communion to politicians dissenting from church teaching. In 2020, when bishops and other Catholics began debating whether to deny Communion to Biden, a Democrat who backs abortion rights, Gregory told RNS he would continue to offer the president the sacrament.

“I don’t want to go to the table with a gun on the table first,” he said.

Asked if the policy remains in place for Pelosi as well, representatives for the Washington archdiocese did not immediately respond.

Pope Francis met with Pelosi at the Vatican last year and in the past told reporters he has never denied anyone the Eucharist. After the pontiff met with Biden at the Vatican in October, the president said the pope told him to “keep receiving communion” despite heated debate about the issue among US bishops at the time.

Francis has not backed away from the church’s longstanding opposition to abortion. On Sunday, the pope celebrated a group participating in an Italian anti-abortion demonstration and stated that life “is always sacred and inviolable, and we cannot silence the voice of conscience.”

Br. Benjamin Hawley, a priest at Holy Trinity, mentioned the back-and-forth over abortion and communion in his Sunday homily, wrapping his sermon around a theme of God’s love. Hawley singled out three things he described as “weapons of mass destruction” that are “destroying our civic and church cultures” — exclusion, repression and scorn.

“Inhabitants of these latter cultures think they can solve the challenges of immigration at home, radical Islam abroad, abortion, Latin Mass, communion for political figures, coastal elites, and many others by excluding, repressing and scorning one group to leave their own group standing — perhaps as a white evangelical nation, a smaller, purer church, or coastal elites become national,” he said.

Hawley called for conservative and liberal Catholics and all Americans to come together, while admitting that major obstacles stood in the way in both the political and religious spheres.

“Worst of all for culture, country and church are the election deniers and Vatican II deniers who would exclude, repress and scorn all of us to gain the authoritarian control of culture, country and church,” he said.

In 2004, as then Senator John Kerry ran for president, a smattering of clerics threatened to bar him from taking Communion, though he was never denied the sacrament. During his White House run, Biden was reportedly denied Communion at a South Carolina parish in 2019 by a priest who justified the refusal by citing Biden’s support for abortion rights.

The post Banned by Cordileone in San Francisco, Pelosi receives Eucharist in Washington appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The San Francisco 49ers got some pretty good news Monday as they move on after their brutal loss to the Los Angeles Rams during the NFC title game.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans will remain with the 49ers after declining a second interview for the job as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Ryans was among a number of candidates for the vacant head coaching job and was widely expected to garner more interest as a potential NFL head coach.

Still, his decision to stay with the 49ers is definitely good news. As the team tries to improve on what they built last season, continuity on defense is a big help to them.

#49ers DC DeMeco Ryans declined a second interview with the #Vikings, according to the source, opting to pursue his development in San Francisco.

So four remain in Minnesota’s head coach search: #Rams OC Kevin O’Connell and DC Raheem Morris, #Giants DC Patrick Graham and Jim Harbaugh. https://t.co/gNRjqHExYf

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 1, 2022

Of course, the 49ers still have a lot of questions to answer this offseason. For one, Jimmy Garoppolo’s future on the team was the talk of the town.

San Francisco has been rumored to be walking away from the veteran quarterback after making Trey Lance their quarterback of the future. Jimmy declined to answer questions about whether he might be playing his last game for the 49ers, but hinted it might finally be over as he said he has no regrets this season and is just grateful he got the opportunity to achieve the conference championship.

It remains to be seen what the 49ers will do in the end, but at least they’ve solved a problem with the return of their defensive coordinator.

The post San Francisco receives excellent news after NFC title defeat appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.