The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast is attracting unwanted publicity this year as senior prelates seek to distance the Church from the event. The programme lists a “surprise speaker” and it is expected it will be President Trump. The Christifidelis laici award will be presented to Attorney General William Barr.
Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich issued a statement indicating he had received media queries, but that the event was organised by a group of individuals, without official Church sanction and, so, “inquiries about this event should be directed accordingly rather than to any official Catholic authority”.
Santa Fe, New Mexico Archbishop John Wester went further, issuing a statement that called for the withdrawal of the honour to Barr. “We are appalled this group will honour Attorney General Barr in light of the fact he just recently began executions of federal prisoners; something that has not been done since 2003,” the statement said. “Catholic teaching on capital punishment is clear.”
The Trump administration, mindful of the significance of Catholic voters in key battleground states, has dispatched surrogates to speak at Catholic events and on Catholic media. The most controversial so far was an interview Federal Election Commission Chairman James Trainor gave to the extremist media outlet Church Militant. Asked about bishops disciplining priests who speak in divisive and partisan ways in the pulpit, Trainor said: “I don't think a bishop has the right to tell a priest that they can't come out and speak.”
He continued: “The bishops are using their non-profit status as a shield to hide behind from having to make a decision about who to support, and to come out publicly.... say we should have an informed conscience when we go vote. But they never really take that next step and say, here's who meets the criteria.”
Newark Cardinal Joseph Tobin stopped short of offering an endorsement when asked if a Catholic could support Biden during a webinar sponsored by the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life at Boston College. “I think that a person in good conscience could vote for Mr Biden,” Tobin said. “I, frankly, in my own way of thinking, have a more difficult time with the other option.”
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