This is becoming a highly controversial issue. Trump himself needs to step in and clear the air.
A significant number of individuals have appended their signatures to a petition launched by the progressive Christian organization, Faithful America, urging Catholic bishops to retract their support for former President Donald Trump. Faithful America, known for its advocacy of social justice causes and opposition to “Christian nationalism,” has amassed more than 12,500 endorsements on its online petition, decrying bishops alleged to be contributing to the “Christofascist campaign of Donald Trump.”
The organization specifically raised concerns about Archbishop of New York Timothy Dolan and former Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, expressing dismay over their “troubling commendation of Trump” and their support for a sermon falsely asserting that Democrats could not be Catholic. Faithful America implored Catholics to condemn such actions, citing Pope Francis’s call for bishops to adopt a more pastoral approach and asserting that politicians like Trump, aligned with Christian nationalism, do not authentically represent the beliefs of the faithful.
The petition underscored that pro-Trump sentiments and actions exhibited by certain bishops in 2020 were deemed partisan, lacking pastoral sensitivity, and detrimental to marginalized communities. Faithful America encouraged Catholics to resist a repetition of such actions in the impending 2024 election, emphasizing that the Gospel teaches values such as love, equality, and dignity—values they argue the MAGA movement disregards.
In response to the petition, a spokesperson for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops clarified that the Catholic Church refrains from endorsing specific candidates or political parties. Instead, bishops provide teaching documents intended to guide Catholics in forming their consciences for election decisions.
Faithful America celebrated a significant development in November when Pope Francis removed Bishop Joseph Strickland from his position following a rare investigation by the Vatican. Strickland, criticized for promoting right-wing politics and labeling President Joe Biden as “evil,” faced removal due to his alignment with ideologies that deny election results, spread QAnon conspiracy theories, and contribute to division.
This initiative against Trump marks just one instance where Faithful America has directed its efforts. The organization consistently leverages a Christian perspective to advocate for left-of-center political causes, condemning Trump, the MAGA movement, and the religious right. Previous petitions denounced “MAGA Republicans” for perceived cruelty in immigration policies and cautioned against Trump’s potential use of fascist tactics in the 2024 election.
Please note that the quotes have been reworded to the best of my ability while maintaining the essence of the original content.