An image shared on Facebook claims House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s church asked her not to attend any more services until she “finds God and gets help.”

Verdict: False

There is no evidence to corroborate the story. The claim originated on the satirical news website Bustatroll.org.

Fact Check:

Social media platforms are replete with misinformation about politicians. In this case, the image, which appears to be a screen grab of an article, alleges that the House speaker has been asked to not attend church until she “finds God and gets help.”

“The Archbishop of San Francisco had to personally call on Nancy Pelosi at her home today to ask her to not come to church anymore,” the screen grabbed article partly reads. “The decision, which was made by the local diocese but approved by Papal Decree from Rome, is a step short of excommunication.” (RELATED: Did Nancy Pelosi Say, ‘It Is Dangerous To Let The Voters Decide Trump’s Fate’?)

Pelosi grew up in a Catholic household and once described herself in a 2008 interview as an “ardent, practicing Catholic.” Although her political stance on abortion is at odds with other Catholics, the Daily Caller News Foundation found no news reporting to corroborate the claim that she has been asked to not attend church.

The claim stems from an article published on Bustatroll.org, a satirical news website that often writes fictional stories about Pelosi. The article, published in 2019, contains the same text as the Facebook post, as well as a fabricated statement from Art Tubolls, which appears to be an anagram for the website’s name. Yet, while Bustatroll.org clearly disclaims the satirical nature of its content, the Facebook post fails to convey a similar warning, giving the impression that the story is real.

This is a common way misinformation spreads on the internet. Check Your Fact has debunked several fake news stories about Pelosi that originated as satire on Bustatroll.org.

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