Dear CV Friend,
When Archbishop Gregory attacked President Trump, I felt I had to respond.
How could it be “reprehensible” for a political leader to visit
a Catholic shrine and pay homage to St. John Paul II?
It was particularly disturbing in light of the fact that Abp. Gregory recently allowed Speaker
Nancy Pelosi to give a eulogy during a Catholic Mass!
Let’s face it. This is a difficult hour in our country. We’ve all spent months
cooped up in our homes to beat back a pandemic. And now protests against police brutality have been overshadowed by violent rioting, arson, and
looting.
It’s right now that we need churches open and shepherds providing hope to their flocks.
That’s why the
archbishop’s partisan attack was so jarring.
As I stated in my
op-ed at Real Clear Politics: “While there is no good time for partisan vilification by religious leaders, it is particularly devastating
now when tensions are high, and grief is great.”
It’s simple, really. Church leaders have a duty to unite, not divide, our
country.
Naturally, the New York Times, Fox News, and the Washington Examiner all covered the controversy.
But
obviously I wasn’t looking to pick a fight with any church leader. At CatholicVote we typically avoid intra-Church fights and keep our focus on
public policy, voter education, and winning in the courts and at the ballot box.
However, this week someone needed to speak up.
And an
email I received from a CV member the next day really struck a chord with me:
“I am about ready to give up on
my Catholic faith for many reasons but reading your response tonight has made me feel that I am part of a greater good in the church and that there
are other Catholics out there that see what is going on for what it is...”
I hope no one would ever lose
their faith over this or any other dustup.
Catholics want to practice our faith, free of government harassment. We believe all life is sacred,
regardless of race, and are dedicated to the protection of the most vulnerable, especially children in the womb.
But let’s not kid ourselves.
For years, our bishops have too often been silent about our Faith’s most fundamental moral teachings pertaining to politics — especially
its teachings on life, marriage, human sexuality, and religious liberty.
And all the while prominent purported Catholics who flagrantly
violate those teachings have run rampant in American politics, attaining positions of power and honor with only a few courageous shepherds willing to
speak up against them.
Can you remember any instance of a major national news story about Catholic bishops denouncing Nancy Pelosi’s or
Joe Biden’s abortion advocacy as “reprehensible?” For that matter, do you have any confidence that any leading Bishop will do so in
the next five months?
So yes, we find it more than odd that while our nation is being torn apart by left-wing mobs, a leading archbishop decided now
was the time to speak up — against the President visiting a shrine dedicated to St. John Paul II to celebrate religious freedom.
If our
bishops want to engage in partisan politics, I’m all for it. But let’s do so consistently, and against ALL public officials who regularly
violate the tenets of our Faith.
What’s truly “reprehensible” is Planned Parenthood targeting the black community, where
abortion is the #1 killer of African Americans. Or the big city mayors and governors who have refused to condemn the looting, violence, and anarchy
that has disproportionately destroyed minority neighborhoods and businesses.
If bishops want to jump in the fray, then they should hold both sides
accountable, lest their selective interventions be seen as partisan political gamesmanship —- as, regrettably, Abp. Gregory’s statement
was seen.
We Catholics in the pews love our country, and we’re willing to fight for it.
If you agree, I could use your help -- now more than
ever.
Let’s fight for God, family, and
country!
Brian
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