Call for Vatican investigation of pro-Trump US bishops

Source: Faithful America

A new petition from the grassroots, ecumenical, social-justice Christian organization Faithful America has already gathered more than 21,000 signatures, asking Pope Francis to investigate the partisan, pro-Trump behaviour of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

The Faithful America petition was launched on 5 February in support of an editorial entitled, "It's time for the Vatican to investigate the US bishops' conference." published in the American publication: National Catholic Reporter on 28 January.

The first 21,026 signatures have been sent to the Pope's Apostolic Nunciature in DC, as well as to the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations.

Signatories include 28 current or emeritus faculty members of the University of Notre Dame (speaking for themselves, not the university) and approximately 315 Catholic sisters, brothers, and priests. Quotes from several petition signers are included below.

The text of the Faithful America petition reads:

As fellow Catholics, ecumenical Christians, and allies, we write in support of the National Catholic Reporter's call for Pope Francis to investigate the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and its partisan activity.

For years, the USCCB has neglected those on the margins. The conference did not speak loudly during the Trump years even though the president separated children from their parents, eliminated key environmental protections, ignored the pandemic, and brought back the federal death penalty. Whenever the USCCB did manage to speak, its criticisms rarely mentioned Trump by name and did not match the praise he was offered on other issues -- yet the conference has been nothing but critical of Joe Biden.

His Holiness Pope Francis should order an apostolic visitation to investigate what has gone wrong with the USCCB, institute substantial changes, and direct the bishops to once again speak for all American Catholics in a spirit of cooperation and national audacity.

As the NCR editors wrote in their January 28 editorial: "The four years of the Trump administration revealed much about many people. About the US bishops' conference, they revealed a group unable to represent the full range of Catholic teaching and unfit to act in the name of American Catholics. Statement after statement after statement praising Trump, the man who separated refugee children from their families and then caged them at the Mexican border, for his 'pro-life' efforts... Meanwhile, it took the bishops four days to say anything about the gruesome May 25 police murder of George Floyd."

Many Faithful America members left personal comments with their signatures, including:

Sr Robin Lynn Evans, OSB, Ferdinand, IN: "The US Bishops Conference is supposed to be a nonpartisan entity. While there are some bishops who speak about and live out Gospel values faithfully and shun political partisanship, many do not, instead choosing politics over the Gospel and the teachings of the Church. These bishops are a disgrace and scandal to their office."

Dr Patricia Maurice, Edwardsburg MI: "As a Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, I have been appalled by how many Catholic bishops around the country have opposed Black Lives Matter and failed to stick up for immigrant rights, raising people out of poverty, and mitigating climate change. Although many Catholics are devoted to social justice, too many partisan bishops focus on several narrow aspects of Catholicism while neglecting the broader message of Christ's love."

Dr Steve Tomasula, University of Notre Dame: "Christ teaches us to feed the hungry and care for the sick. Yet Trump put immigrants in cages, stripped health care from the weak, and took food out of the mouths of the poor, while the bishops said nothing. Why their attacks on Biden, a true Christian in thought and deed?"

Barbara Reardon, Tujunga, CA: "The partisan behaviour of the bishops, especially that of Los Angeles Archbishop José Gómez, is a scandal to the faithful. Their actions distort Church teachings by actively condoning vile, anti-Christian behaviour. Please step in to save the church in America."

Michael McDermott, Tyler, TX: "Pope Francis should appoint an Apostolic Visitation Committee to investigate the US bishops post haste. The Religious women who were investigated by such a committee under Pope Benedict should play a major role in how it is conducted to avoid "good ol' boy" shenanigans. A particular focus should be placed on Tyler, TX, Bishop Joseph Strickland, who doesn't seem to think honesty is a significant component of the Gospel or the mission of the Catholic Church."

Derek Scheer, Madison WI: "Dear Pope Francis, I am writing to let you know that I am really having trouble. My daughters, aged 16 and 12, are being pushed away from the teachings of the church due to the problematic policies of the Catholic Bishops here in America. My daughters understand that the teachings of Christ work for the poor and the downtrodden. The bishops' decision to hold our second Catholic president to a higher standard seems unwise and highly controversial."

View the Faithful America petition here: https://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/investigate-usccb/?source=med