Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the Catholic archbishop of Washington, called President Joe Biden a “cafeteria Catholic” on CBS News Sunday, saying he seemed to be choosing aspects of the faith that were “appealing” to him. is.
Gregory appeared on “Face the Nation” to discuss Biden’s affinity with American Catholics, as Biden has previously described himself as a devout Catholic. Asked by CBS News host Ed O’Keefe about the archbishop’s thoughts, Gregory said Biden’s faith seems “very sincere,” but he is “choosy” in what he emphasizes. (Related: Biden declares Easter Sunday ‘Transgender Visibility Day’)
“In the case of the president, do you feel that his regular attendance and adherence to his faith resonates with American Catholics?” O’Keefe asked.
“I think he’s very sincere about his faith, but like many Catholics, he doesn’t tend to pick and choose aspects of the faith to emphasize and ignore or contradict other parts. There’s even a term we’ve used in the past, “cafeteria Catholicism,” choosing what’s appealing and ignoring what’s challenging,” Gregory added.
“Or, as Thomas Aquinas would say, you let your conscience guide you,” said the retired Episcopal bishop of Washington. Pastor Marian Budde.
“In your opinion, is there anything on the menu that he hasn’t ordered? So to speak,” O’Keeffe interjected.
“Especially when it comes to life issues, I think he’s choosing to ignore the current situation and use it as a political pawn rather than saying, ‘Look, my church believes this.’ I think we are taking advantage of it,” Gregory said.
Biden faced online backlash on Saturday after the White House issued a press statement about Transgender Awareness Day, which is observed annually on March 31st, which happens to be this year’s Easter Sunday. It was the same day. The White House has banned religious Easter eggs from the annual Easter Egg Roll, saying children’s egg designs cannot include “religious symbols” and should instead be “snapshots of children’s lives.” , i.e., your favorite activities, the landscape of your state, your military family, your daily life, etc.”
