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American Catholic bishops seem unaware of Jesus’ admonition, “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.”
The church speaks often about deadly personal “sins” like lust, envy, greed, sloth, anger, pride and gluttony. But the bishops fell into an entirely different trap when they accepted an administration invitation to discuss church concerns and then privately meet and pray with the President.
MAGA quickly published video and photos of the presidential blessing without their consent to the public right before the election, giving the impression Catholic leaders endorse Trump.
Perhaps “sin” is not just limited to personal misconduct. Maybe there are “high crimes and misdemeanors” our Founding Fathers spoke of, which are ultra-consequential sins of high political office like election fraud, the executive branch stealing away Congress’ lawful powers, and publishing nonstop campaign propaganda.
Maybe Christians and their leaders need to get more involved in “mammon” matters like domestic policy, foreign policy, and election integrity so they don’t get scalped by treacherous politicians and inadvertently contribute to the precipitous decline of the nation and the church.
Kimball Shinkoskey
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Valete
I recently made a vow to never comment on other letters in The Chief. I planned to write my weekly views and leave it at that. But this piece forces my hand. I cannot stay silent.
To say Catholic bishops acted naively misrepresents their true role. They met with a sitting president. This is a pastoral duty, not a political nod. Bishops must engage with both sides to protect faith and help the poor.
Calling these routine meetings a mistake misses the core mission. Clergy have to talk to secular leaders. If a campaign uses photos from a public event, that is not an endorsement. It is just modern spin.
Blending spiritual sin with constitutional crimes is a bad move. It forces faith into partisan boxes. That is the exact trap the author warns against.
Keeping doors open in Washington is the bishop’s job. Bishops speak for their people. They keep the church independent, not partisan. True engagement needs real talk, not cold walls.
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