Pelosi is Catholic and pro-choice. U.S. bishops have accused her of misrepresenting Church teachings on abortion. Pelosi met the Pope briefly at a mid-way point during her visit to Italy, which is where her family is from.
She declined to address the Pope's reprimand, rather focused her statements on the Catholic Church's humanitarian works.
Pelosi met a storm of criticism from conservative Catholics in August when she told a talk show that the question of exactly when life begins "shouldn't have an impact on the woman's right to choose."
Several days after his inauguration, President Barack Obama with Pelosi's support, reversed a Bush administration ban on funding for groups abroad that provide abortion services.
Vatican officials criticized that change.
