Bishops Regret Political Impression of Prayer With Trump

Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob and Des Moines Bishop William Joensen said they regretted the political impression created after the White House distributed images of them praying with President Donald Trump, and said the meeting was not intended as an endorsement. Grob said the bishops understood their October 22 visit to be a private meeting and had not consented to public distribution of photographs or video. He apologized for the distress his participation caused, saying he had not meant to endorse Trump, his administration or the Republican Party. Joensen likewise said the meeting had been exploited for partisan political purposes. He said the bishops did not intend to endorse a candidate or party and expressed regret that they had not been more cautious about the political context. The meeting included Grob, Joensen and 10 other bishops. Grob said participants were brought into the Oval Office, where they prayed with Trump. He described the prayer as only a brief part of a three-hour session that also addressed immigration, religious freedom and school choice. Grob said he attended in the hope of raising issues affecting Catholic communities and improving people’s...