The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Des Moines said the White House exploited a recent visit by Catholic bishops for political purposes. Bishop William Joensen said none of the bishops at the meeting intended to endorse any political party.
The visit took place less than two weeks before the midterm elections, after early voting had already begun in Iowa and other states, according to the Des Moines Register. Joensen said the bishops did not know ahead of time that the meeting would be recorded or photographed, and were told it would be private.
Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a similar statement and apologized. He said the meeting was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party, and that photos and video of the bishops praying were taken without their consent.
According to Grob, the bishops were invited in mid-September to discuss issues including immigration, visas for international clergy, and support for private education through federal tax credits. After a 90-minute discussion with White House staff, the group went to the Oval Office, where President Donald Trump greeted them and gave them commemorative tokens. Staff took photos as the bishops stood behind Trump and prayed.
A video of the prayer was later posted on the social media account of a Trump adviser, Grob said. Joensen said many actions taken by the Trump administration run counter to Catholic faith, and added that in retrospect he would have been more mindful about attending.
The White House defended its record in a statement from spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, who said Trump stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians and defended religious rights.
Source: Des Moines Register
