The Bishops’ Choice

With a Biden/Harris administration imminent, many of our bishops have thankfully come to realize that they will not be able to continue their longtime flirtation with the Democrat Party. If the most recent statement by Archbishop Jose Gomez, President of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), is any guide, maybe some of our bishops now know that the Democrats are no longer all that friendly to the Church. Indeed, the friendliness of those once-favored politicians, one that seemed so sincere, was nothing other than masked hostility. Anti-Semitism, anti-Catholicism, and the rejection of all things Christian is often declared openly by prominent Democrats without fear of reprisal by others in the party or by the mainstream media. 

Sadly, though, the bishops seem somewhat confused. Just days after the election, Archbishop Gomez encouraged the nation to come together "in a spirit of national unity" and then congratulated Joe Biden:

"...we recognize that Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has received enough votes to be elected the 46th President of the United States. We congratulate Mr. Biden and acknowledge that he joins the late President John F. Kennedy as the second United States president to profess the Catholic faith. We also congratulate Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California, who becomes the first woman ever elected as vice president."

But then, about a week later, Archbishop Gomez made a somewhat less enthusiastic statement, beginning again with a glance back to the Kennedy years:

"For only the second time, we are anticipating a transition to a president who professes the Catholic faith. This presents certain opportunities but also certain challenges."

He then addressed the perceived positives of the future Biden administration:

"The president-elect has given us reason to believe that his faith commitments will move him to support some good policies. This includes policies of immigration reform, refugees and the poor, and against racism, the death penalty, and climate change."

Here we encounter a litany of Democrat talking points, even though their policies only make things worse. How often do the bishops focus on the root cause of illegal immigration and condemn the leadership of the corrupt and authoritarian regimes that drive immigrants to our borders? Instead, they condemn our leaders who only carry out our nation’s laws.

The socialism being toyed with by so many Democrats is nothing more than a great equalizing mechanism that lowers everyone to the same impoverished level. The greatest poverty-reduction program is a growing and healthy free-market economy, one that provides employment and opportunity and doesn’t ship jobs overseas. 

As for racism, the Democrat Party supports the nation’s most inherently racist activity, for abortion is the leading cause of death in the nation's black community. Planned Parenthood, after all, was founded by a professional racist, Margaret Sanger, who desired nothing less that the eradication of all those lesser races. African American support for abortion is simply suicidal.

Unable to avoid the elephant in the room, the Archbishop continued by calling attention to Biden's policies on abortion:

"He has also given us reason to believe that he will support policies that are against some fundamental values that we hold dear as Catholics. These policies include: the repeal of the Hyde amendment and the preservation of Roe vs. Wade. Both of these policies undermine our preeminent priority of the elimination of abortion."

He then went on to mention other concerns about policies supported by Biden:

"...restoration of the HHS mandate, passage of the Equality Act, and unequal treatment of Catholic schools."

To refresh your memory, Obama's HHS mandate required the health insurance of religious organizations to include contraception, abortifacients, sterilization... (remember the Little Sisters of the Poor?). The Equality Act prohibits discrimination of homosexuals and others, even by religious organizations. A Catholic school should be able to hire only teachers who accept Church teaching on such issues as homosexuality and trans-genderism.

Abortion, of course, has long been a divisive issue, although for many bishops and priests the slaughter of the unborn was simply one small piece of the “seamless garment” representing all life issues. For too many years, abortion, if not tolerated, was at least overlooked so long as the bishops’ Democrat friends toed the line when it came to capital punishment, immigration, healthcare, and a host of other issues. Many bishops still follow this path. Cardinal Gregory of DC and Cardinal Tobin of Newark both come to mind.

Do you recall the enthusiasm among so many Catholic clergy when President Obama was elected. Obama sounded so thoughtful, so charitable, so socially just, so in tune with Church teaching on all the important things. Yes, his words told a wonderful, bright story of hope and change, but his actions...well, over time they pointed to something far darker. It took them a while, but some of the bishops eventually saw that the Democrats’ vision for the nation and the world is a future in which Judeo-Christian “values” – i.e., the truth -- will be strongly suppressed by a wiser government.

Of course, “truth” was another word missing from the Archbishop’s statement. Archbishop Gomez is instead almost apologetic. In a kind but concerned way, he apparently hopes that Joe Biden, the candidate who advertised his Catholic faith at every opportunity, will come to accept Church teaching. That, of course, is highly unlikely because his party’s key social policies openly reject that teaching. And one thing we know about Joe: he is first and foremost a Party man.

It will be interesting to observe how this relationship between bishops and president evolves. “This is a difficult and complex situation,” Archbishop Gomez reminded his colleagues, and then did what every bureaucrat does: he decided to form a committee, a working group “to emphasize our priorities and enhance collaboration.”

Good luck with that. One would think just focusing on the truth and holding Catholic politicians responsible when they reject the truth would be good enough. Are there bishops who think otherwise?

Oh, and don't think I believe the Republicans will save the day and support the Church. There may be a growing number of pro-life Republicans but they, too, are politicians and time in Washington tends to change folks. They simply hate to leave.

As the Psalmist reminds us:

Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help [Ps 146:3].

Certainly, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we must work together to carry on God's saving work in the world, while always remembering it is God's work, not ours. And God's work is always very good.