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A28 u.s. news
Diabierna 20 november 2020

Catholics divided as bishops examine Biden's abortion stance

posed policies are divergent
That question “does not turn from Catholic teaching in
on what political office he significant ways,” Strickland
holds, but on his public con- tweeted Tuesday. “It remains
duct as a Catholic,” said Ed- troubling that the USCCB
ward Peters, professor of can- treats the election as certified
on law at Sacred Heart Major when it is not & it continues
Seminary in Detroit. to be a source of division.”
“His prominence in public Journalists for Catholic news
life makes his case more vis- outlets pointed out that the
ible, certainly,” Peters added. USCCB did not wait for
"But, in the end, it is his own election results to be certified
behavior that determines in 2016, when it swiftly con-
whether he should be refused gratulated Trump after Elec-
Holy Communion.” tion Day.
Thomas Groome, a theology
professor at Boston College, Kristan Hawkins, a Catholic
said conservative bishops on who is president of Students
the working group would for Life of America, said lead-
likely push for Biden to be ers of the U.S. church need
denied Communion. But he to be blunter in condeming
noted that Biden’s support Catholic politicians who sup-
(AP) - Catholics split al- climate change, poverty and ident-elect has given us rea- for abortion rights is, accord- port abortion rights.
most evenly in support- immigration. son to think he will support ing to many surveys, shared “This pretense that ending
ing Donald Trump or Joe some good policies” but also by most U.S. Catholics. preborn life is negotiable with
Biden in the presiden- “The USCCB leadership some that “undermine our Groome called Gomez’s the church does create chaos
tial election. Now they’re simply can’t embrace the idea preeminent priority of the statement “dreadfully unfor- and confusion,” Hawkins
sharply divided over a of engagement and goodwill elimination of abortion," the tunate" and said “the bishops said. “This failure of leader-
declaration by the head that Pope Francis has asked archbishop said. should be helping bring us ship gives women who know
of the U.S. Conference of them,” said David Gibson, together rather than driving that abortion is wrong the
of Catholic Bishops that director of Fordham Uni- “These policies pose a seri- us apart.” permission they’re looking
the president-elect's sup- versity’s Center on Religion ous threat to the common for to get an abortion."
port for abortion rights and Culture. “That the pope good,” Gomez added. “When Chieko Noguchi, a USCCB
presents the church with called to congratulate Biden politicians who profess the spokeswoman, said the work- However, Jamie Manson,
a “difficult and complex and discussed working to- Catholic faith support them ing group has not yet met president of Catholics for
situation.” gether while the American ... it creates confusion among and declined to comment Choice, said Gomez’s claim
bishops capped their meeting the faithful about what the on whether it would discuss that Biden’s position creates
The USCCB’s president, with plans to do battle with church actually teaches on a potential Communion ban confusion among church
Los Angeles Archbishop José the incoming president says these questions.” for Biden. There has been no members is "condescending.”
Gomez, made that statement it all.” response by Biden’s transi-
Tuesday near the close of the Gomez said he would form a tion team to AP requests for “They are, in fact, well-in-
conference’s national meet- Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a working group to address the comment. formed and have used their
ing and announced the for- professor of religious studies matter, headed by the US- consciences in their choice
mation of a working group at Manhattan College, also CCB’s vice president, Detroit Divisions within the US- both to elect President-elect
of bishops to assess the di- was dismayed by the US- Archbishop Allen Vigneron. CCB’s ranks over the pres- Biden and to support repro-
lemma. Some experts said CCB. “It seems they’d like to Two Catholic academics, re- ident-elect have been stark, ductive health care,” she said.
it's possible the group will start an antagonistic relation- sponding to queries from with some, such as Bishop In the election, 50% of Cath-
discuss whether Biden — a ship with only the second The Associated Press, did not Joseph Strickland of Tyler, olic voters backed Trump and
practicing Roman Catho- Catholic to be elected the rule out the possibility that Texas, balking at recognizing 49% favored Biden, accord-
lic — should be barred from president of this country,” the working group could dis- his victory. ing to VoteCast, a survey of
partaking in Holy Commu- she said via email. “This is cuss whether Biden should more than 110,000 voters na-
nion. appalling.” be barred from partaking in “I appreciate Archbishop Go- tionwide conducted for The
“The bishops have chosen to Holy Communion because mez’ acknowledgment that Associated Press by NORC
Catholic anti-abortion activ- continue the culture war that of his abortion stance. Vice President Biden’s pro- at the University of Chicago.
ists hope the bishops follow uses abortion to drive wedges
through with tough words in our church and our soci-
and action, making clear that ety, because they see that as a
Catholic politicians who sup- winning issue for them,” she
port abortion are in breach of wrote.
church teaching.
Biden’s policy agenda “is in- Gomez has welcomed many
compatible with the Catho- of Biden’s stances, including
lic position on abortion and on immigration, racial jus-
the protection of innocent tice and climate change. But
human life,” said Marjorie some conservative bishops,
Dannenfelser, president of citing the church’s opposi-
the Susan B. Anthony List, a tion to abortion, have been
leading anti-abortion group. outspoken in their criticism
after Gomez congratulated
But others criticized the US- Biden on his victory.
CCB as setting the stage for
potential conflict with the On Tuesday, as the USCCB
president-elect just days after ended the public portion of
he received a congratulatory its meeting, Gomez read a
call from Pope Francis. Biden statement that arose from
said he hopes to work with discussions with some of the
the pontiff on issues such as agitated bishops.“The pres-