By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer   A nationwide petition campaign is underway that will ask U.S. Bishops to withhold communion from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other prominent Catholics in public office who persistently dissent from Church teaching on serious moral issues. The Withholding Communion petition was launched by Pewsitter.com, a Catholic News Portal, with the goal of gathering at least one million signatures for presentation to both the U.S. Bishops and the Vatican.   In a press release, Pewsitter states that "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 … 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-and this has led to the false impression that the Church condones or at least tolerates such dissenting opinions on serious moral issues such as abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research to name a few. "Not only do these prominent Catholics disregard the Church's teachings, but in many cases they actively and publicly promote policies and legislation that undermines, opposes and contradicts the Church's teachings. Examples of such Catholics include Speaker of the House - Nancy Pelosi, Vice President Joseph Biden, Senator Ted Kennedy, and Senator John Kerry, to name a few."   The petition reminds the bishops that Canon 212 '3 states that the Catholic faithful have the right, and at times the duty, “in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church.” For more information or to complete the petition, visit http://www.pewsitter.com/petition/ © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com