Posted on 04/02/2021 8:36:39 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
During this year's Holy Week, in the days leading up to Easter Sunday, Catholics find themselves in a fierce debate as some would try to cancel an archbishop for correctly stating Church teaching. This is specifically on abortion as it pertains to President Joe Biden, who is often showcasing his Catholic faith. Candidate as well as President Biden's staffers, surrogates, and supporters, are often reminding voters that Biden is a "devout" Catholic, despite how he publicly disagrees with the Church on abortion.
Jen Psaki spins out of Hyde Amdt. & Mexico City question by saying Pres. Biden is a "devout Catholic".
Either Pres. Biden is about to be a very pro-Life President or Jen Psaki (and basically everyone else) needs to stop referring to him as a "devout Catholic"...! pic.twitter.com/Tvy9qVvUnW— Cassie Smedile (@CMSmedile) January 21, 2021
On March 14, the Atlantic published an interview between Emma Green and Archbishop Joseph Naumann, the Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, a position he was elected to by his fellow bishops. Green also referenced how Naumann has said Biden should not call himself "devout" and should not present himself for Communion. This is what the critics are all up in arms over, as referenced in a March 18 open letter sponsored by Faithful America and Faith in Public Life Action.
As of Thursday evening, the letter has collected 19,619 signatures, also indicating it is 5,981 signatures away from its goal of 25,600.
The preliminary text reads:
In the latest sign that some U.S. Catholic bishops are out of step with Pope Francis, the bishops' pro-life committee chair claims President Biden should stop calling himself a "devout" Catholic -- and even says the president should know better than to take Communion.
It's only a few months into Biden's term, yet Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, KS, is already far more critical of the new president than he ever was of Donald Trump. In a recent interview, Naumann even praised a South Carolina priest who bragged about denying Biden Communion on the campaign trail.
This focus on personal, single-issue, culture-war attacks might not be a surprise, but it is dangerous. From COVID-19 to climate change to family separation, Trump's policies were so deadly that Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, KY, correctly called the ex-president "anti-life."
It's time for top U.S. bishops to stop the attacks and join Pope Francis in finding common ground with President Biden. The bishops' conference must appoint a new pro-life chair -- a true pastoral leader who will pay equal attention to all life issues.
The letter in its entirety reads:
To: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)
From: [Your Name]President Biden regularly demonstrates how important faith is to his personal life and to his commitment to justice and the common good. Yet instead of following the pastoral model of Pope Francis and other bishops who are building bridges with only the second Catholic president in U.S. history, the chairman of the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee has questioned Biden's faith and even praised a priest who once denied Biden Communion.
As fellow Catholics, Christians, and other concerned people of faith, we urge conference leaders to remove Archbishop Joseph Naumann as chair of the pro-life committee. We encourage you to select a new leader who will refrain from attacking the president's personal faith, speak consistently about all life issues, work through sincere differences with respect, and join Pope Francis in seeking common ground with the administration.
While Archbishop Naumann accuses President Biden of "usurping the role of the bishops and confusing people," nobody is confused about the church's position on abortion. The real confusion comes when bishops like Joseph Naumann weaponize the Sacraments, malign the faith of sincere Catholics, and refuse to give equal attention to other pro-life issues. Pope Francis reminds us that "the lives of the poor" and "those already born" are "equally sacred."
In questioning President Biden's faith and even claiming he should not receive Communion, Archbishop Naumann is choosing the culture wars over pastoral leadership.
That the letter claims "Archbishop Naumann is choosing the culture wars," undermines how the Church's teaching on abortion is just that, the Church's teaching on abortion. Because Naumann was elected as Chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, it is especially relevant that he would speak the Truth on the abortion issue.
When it comes to Pope Francis, the letter fails to emphasize that the Holy Father has reaffirmed the Church teaching on abortion, on multiple occasions.
Every child who a woman expects in her womb is a gift that changes a family’s history: the life of fathers and mothers, grandparents and of brothers and sisters. That child needs to be welcomed, loved and nurtured. Always! #WorldDownSyndromeDay— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) March 21, 2021
Perhaps most concerning of all, though, is that the letter claims that "nobody is confused about the church's position on abortion." That is the entire point of concern here, that people would be.
In that interview with Green, Archbishop Naumann expands upon such points. "I spoke with the archbishop about why he sees Biden’s position on abortion as a problem, and what the bishops will do next," Green wrote.
Here is the beginning of the interview:
Emma Green: The second-ever Catholic president of the United States—a man who attends weekly Mass and quotes Augustine and carries a rosary—also supports the expansion of abortion rights. Do you think this presents a challenge to the witness of the Church?
Archbishop Joseph Naumann: Yes. To have a president who is an engaged Catholic, but who acts in contradiction to some of our most fundamental moral teachings—we haven’t really faced that kind of challenge before.
Green: So what is the exact challenge? Do you think the teachings of the Catholic Church will be misinterpreted or misunderstood by people who see President Biden talk about his faith?
Naumann: One of the issues is the extent to which he supports legalized abortion, even to the point of wanting all Americans to fund abortion. But the bigger issue, for us, is the one you alluded to, which is that he does these things, and then in reply to questions about them, he or his press secretary says, “Biden’s a devout Catholic.” Whether he intends it or not, he’s basically saying to people, “You can be a good Catholic and do similar things.”
Green: You have said that the president should not offer himself up to receive Communion. Why is Communion the place in Catholic life where this conflict between President Biden’s Catholic identity and his support for abortion should be adjudicated?
Naumann: If a non-Catholic Christian wants to enter into full communion with the Church, they’re asked to make a profession where they say, “I believe and profess all that the holy Catholic Church believes, teaches, and proclaims to be revealed by God.” Each time we receive the Eucharist, we’re also saying that profession. That’s why it becomes a point of confusion. Obviously, the president doesn’t believe what we believe about the sacredness of human life, or he wouldn’t be taking the actions that he is. And yet, he continues to receive the Eucharist. We can’t judge his heart. But we consider the action itself a grave moral evil.
The issue of whether or not to deny Communion to President Biden appears at the closing of the interview as well, with added emphasis:
Green: I know you’ve been part of the USCCB working group on the bishops’ relationship with the Biden administration. Was there any final conclusion about what priests should do if and when Biden presents himself to receive the Eucharist?
Naumann: No. That wasn’t our job or our mission.
Green: Got it. And do you expect there to be further writings along those lines?
Naumann: Each bishop is responsible to teach the faith in his diocese. So I think each bishop will do that, to the best of his ability. They will continue to teach and exercise their pastoral ministry in trying to form their people in the truth of the Catholic faith.
The issue of Communion comes up throughout the interview, because it is so crucial to properly understand as much as possible with this holy sacrament. The archbishop explains the role of bishops in reaching particular members of their flock:
Green: When Kathleen Sebelius, who is Catholic, was the governor of Kansas, you asked her not to receive Communion. Is this something you have done with other public officials?
Naumann: I had several conversations with her over a couple-year period about this issue, wanting to make sure she understood its gravity. At some point, I said, “Governor, we have to bring some closure to this.” I said, “I don’t really want to publicly embarrass you, but I ask that you don’t do this, because it’s what we would call ‘scandal in the Church,’ which means she could lead others into error by her actions.” Obviously Governor Sebelius wasn’t happy with that. Some months later, one of our priests called me and said she had been at a Mass and had come to Communion. So I chose to make it public that I had made that request to her. I’ve talked to other legislators about this issue. We haven’t taken the same actions at this time with others.
President Biden is not my parishioner. Governor Sebelius was. But obviously the president impacts us all. I want to protect my people from being misled. His actions, right now, do mislead. They do create confusion for people in terms of what the Church believes and teaches.
Referring back to Pope Francis and the accusations that Naumann is not and needs to "join Pope Francis in seeking common ground with the administration," Naumann does just that when asked by Green:
Green: Do you think President Biden presents opportunities for the Church on other issues that matter for the family? For example: immigration and family separations at the border, which he has said he opposes.
Naumann: Yes. One of the things Biden has done that I feel is very positive is to increase the number of refugees that our country will welcome. Also, his aspirations to bring legalization to those who weren’t born in this country but were brought here as children. Hopefully, his Catholic formation has helped him to have compassion for the poor and compassion for those fleeing violence and economic poverty. So yes, I think those are positive things that the president can do and will do, for the good of some of the people that are on the margins.
The issue over whether to regard President Biden as a "devout" Catholic or not, and why, is furthered by pieces for secular outlets, including a December 9, 2020 post from Michelle Boorstein for the Washington Post, "Biden could redefine what it means to be a Catholic in good standing. Catholics are divided on whether that is a good thing;" a January 27 opinion column from EJ Dionne Jr., also for the Washington Post, "Joe Biden and the struggle for American Catholicism;" and a March 31 piece from Brian Bennett for Time, "Joe Biden’s Presidency Has Highlighted the Rifts in the American Catholic Church."
Bennett references the issue at hand facing Naumann, in writing:
Some church leaders are concerned that Biden may sow confusion over what it means to be devout. Conservative Catholics say Biden’s prominence legitimizes what is pejoratively referred to by some as “cafeteria Catholicism”—the idea that Catholics can choose which church teachings they adhere to. “We must pray and fast that the President will cease attempting to confuse people about Catholic teaching by trampling on the sanctity of human life while presenting himself as a devout Catholic,” said Kansas City Archbishop Naumann. “The presidency does not empower him to define Catholic doctrine and moral teaching.”
Other Catholics are coming to the Archbishop Naumann's defense. CatholicVote launched its own letter on March 25. One of the signatories, Kristan Hawkins, President, Students for Life of America and SFLAction, spoke to Townhall about the letter she signed. "The Catholic Church has always been opposed to the ending of preborn, innocent life, and I stand with those in my church working to protect the least of these because this is a fundamental issue," she told Townhall.
These same critics would have “signed the petition” to Crucify Christ for His teaching.
Biden and the others will have to answer to Jesus about why they sanctioned abortion some day. What will they say in their defense?
Not knowledgeable about all details on this but I heard Soros paid operatives are organizing email and other onslaught of attacks on the Bishop who opposed Biden.
Satan must be part of this in a big way. Whitmer and other governors let strip clubs and marijuana and liquor stores stay open but strongly locked down churches and synagogues earlier. Now religious services report big downturns in attendance——as if this was the plan all along. Inertia to stay home is now strong.
And the preposterous lie that Biden is a real Catholic -—not just using Catholicism to look good and gain political power-——has to be ended.
For Catholics to sway with the social justice trend breezes and conform to the evils of the world (killing babies by abortion and killing old people by euthanasia) is wrong.
On another note:
"Every child who a woman expects in her womb is a gift that changes a family’s history: the life of fathers and mothers, grandparents and of brothers and sisters. That child needs to be welcomed, loved and nurtured. Always! #WorldDownSyndromeDay— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) March 21, 2021"
We need to change the question: "Is the Pope Catholic?" to "Is the Pope Catholic today?".
The Pope was indeed Catholic on the date he said this.
Lol. When has the Pedophile Xiden ever demonstrated any adherence to Catholicism?
Never. He is one of the most vile and corrupt politicians who ever slithered through the halls of Congress.
Black pro-lifers have stated that PP is committing black genocide..Biden has opened up Africa for PP to kill even more black babies.... Soooo,a “devout” Catholic can kill black babies....Didn’t know that God was the first Ku Klux Klanner.... If people think murdering black babies is okay then even the klan can be in congress and help the dems wipe out more black babies....
Leave abortion aside. No “devout” Catholic would have been having a affair with a married woman, and that’s what he and Jill were doing. And most certainly no “devout” Catholic would have supported Hunter leaving his wife for his brother’s widow. You might find yourself stuck with that situation, but you wouldn’t offer full-throated support for it.
Biden is a phony as the day is long. Everybody except the media and some demented Dems seem to grasp this easily enough.
And, btw, good luck ‘cancelling’ an Archbishop under any circumstances.
Biden is a Catholic much like King Henry the Eighth was. Like Henry the Eighth, Biden claims to be Catholic until it interferes with what he wants in life is threatened. In the Henry the Eithth case, he wanted to dispose of his wife in favor of a new woman, and when the Pope refused to concur, he simply quit and started his own religion. Biden is doing something similar. Biden wants to further the democratic agenda by fostering abortion. The Catholic Church says no but he is trying to tough it out by claiming to be a devout Catholic and attending mass. True Catholics are not fooled. Biden is as bad a Catholic as Henry the Eighth, but is, for political reasons, hiding behind this phoney going to mass ritual. What he is doing is for political purposes only. Biden is not a Catholic because he does not believe what the church tells him the rules are, any more that an adulterer wants to continue what he is doing, or a murderer, or any other person who wants something other that what the faith says.
Biden is a CINO. Catholic in name only.
He is NOT a devout Catholic!
Very well said!!!!
Biden is a phony. Let him carry his Rosary all he wants. The man actively pushes abortion on demand.
ANY clergy, or everyday person who pushes/supports abortion on demand, the willful killing of innocent human life, ought to be very concerned about eternity!!!
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