A Montana bishop lambasted four Catholic priests for publicly supporting President Donald Trump at his Great Falls rally, claiming priests must politically disengage.
Bishop Michael Warfel of the Great Falls-Billings diocese objected to the priests attending the rally in the clerical garb as VIPs and sitting directly behind Trump. Warfel asserted that the priests, as representatives of their respective dioceses, were forbidden from showing such support for a candidate, despite the fact that Trump previously ran on a pro-life platform against a pro-choice candidate and has directed his administration to defend religious liberties. (RELATED: Trump Signs Faith-Based Initiative Giving Religious Voices More Influence In Federal Government)
“I have received apologies from the two priests for any misunderstanding or any hurt their presence caused,” Warfel wrote, according to Crux Now.
He added that the diocese’s policy on such matters states “Supporting or not supporting a particular candidate as a representative of the diocese is not permitted.”
The four priests were identified as Father Garrett Nelson and Father Ryan Erlenbush of the diocese of Great Falls-Billings and Father Kevin Christofferson and Father Christopher Lebsock of the diocese of Helena. They reportedly carried “Make America Great Again” signs and appeared to laugh at jokes Trump made at the expense of the #MeToo movement and Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for her claims of Native American heritage, according to Montana Standard.
Warren lambasted the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which would have outlawed abortions at 20-weeks gestation, as “dangerous and cruel.” Catholic officials openly rebuked the 14 Catholic Senators who voted against the bill and even denied Holy Communion to Sen. Dick Durbin over the issue.
Catholic officials’ response to the blocking of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act seem to directly contradict Warfel’s policy of political disengagement, though he did clarify that the policy is specific to his diocese. Catholic leadership from the diocese of Helena have yet to issue any statement concerning the priests from that diocese who attended Trump’s rally and showed open support for him.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has clarified that leaders in the Catholic church should publicly support policies in line in with Catholic teaching, but should refrain from supporting specific candidates and should withhold all honors from candidates and politicians who defy the church’s teachings.
“As bishops, we do not endorse or oppose candidates. Rather, we seek to form the consciences of our people so that they can examine the positions of candidates and make choices based on Catholic moral and social teaching,” the USCCB wrote.
“The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
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