Head of US bishops foresees conflict with the Biden Administration

The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops while announcing the setting up of a special working group to address President-elect Joe Biden’s policy positions spoke of “certain challenges” between the church and only the second Catholic to be elected as president of the United States.

“We are facing a unique moment in the history of our country….  This presents certain opportunities but also certain challenges” USCCB president Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles said while announcing the working group at the end of the public portion of the bishops’ Nov. 16-17 meeting, held this year completely online.

“The president-elect has given us reason to believe his faith commitments will lead to certain policies that we favor,” Archbishop Gomez said welcoming Biden’s position on issues such as immigration, aid to refugees and the poor, racial justice, capital punishment and climate change.

But there is the expectation that “he will support policies that are against some fundamental values we hold dear as Catholics” Gomez said listing the “repeal of the Hyde Amendment and his support for Roe v. Wade” as expected disagreements.

The Hyde Amendment is a legislative provision barring the use of federal funds to pay for abortion except to save the life of the woman, or if the pregnancy arises from incest or rape. The landmark 1973 Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision allowed a pregnant woman liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.

“These policies pose a serious threat to the common good,” said Gomez, reiterating that the USCCB has “a preeminent priority of elimination of abortion.” 

“When politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them ... it creates confusion among the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions”, said Archbishop Gomez who is completing his first year as USCCB president.

In reply, Michael Sean Winters in his opinion piece for National Catholic Reporter wrote:

“Does it? Could Gomez produce a single Catholic who does not know what the church teaches on these issues? Has Biden ever claimed he was speaking on behalf of the church when addressing these issues? It is nonsense. Gomez announced the formation of a working group to study the nonexistent problem.”

He also quoted Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio, who speaking to the bishops as they began their virtual plenary meeting, said: 

“In a pluralistic, fragmented world, we are invited to dialogue. What is the method proposed in Fratelli tutti? In chapter six, Pope Francis speaks of dialogue. But, when we speak of dialogue, what are we really talking about? It cannot be like those on the news who shout past each other, demonstrating that they are more interested in power and their own ideas than the common good. Dialogue must be related to truth.”

Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron of Detroit, vice president of the USCCB will head the special working group that was set up to deal with disagreement expected between the church and President-elect Biden.