'SINCERE REGRET'

Top Catholic Issues Humiliating Apology for Praying Over Trump

Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob has said the White House “manipulated” him and other faith leaders into a “political photo opportunity.”

A leader in the Catholic Church says he and other faith leaders were duped into taking part in a White House publicity stunt when they prayed over President Donald Trump.

In a lengthy apology, Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has asserted that the White House “manipulated” them into a “political photo opportunity.” Grob and 11 other bishops were seen praying over Trump last week, as evidenced by a video posted by White House aide Margo Martin.

He said he was expressing “sincere regret” for the image, writing, “I apologize for any damage my actions have caused.”

“I have received many questions and comments about the October 22 meeting I and 11 other bishops attended at the White House, which was soon thereafter publicized by the administration without the consent of the participants,” he wrote. “Please know that my intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care.”

Grob said that he was under the impression that the meeting at the White House, organized by the pro-Trump Heritage Foundation, would be private, and “that there could be an opportunity to pray privately with the president.”

He explained that the meeting “was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party,” as he said he was invited to join a group of bishops to discuss “matters of importance to the Church and our people, including immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, and human dignity.”

Grob has been critical of the president’s treatment of immigrants, as he co-signed a statement earlier this year along with other bishops that criticized their policies.

He explained that he “took some time to weigh the decision and ultimately felt that, if I had the opportunity to offer my voice in a way that might improve the lives of God’s children, I ought to take it. I pray for our elected officials on a daily basis, so it seemed appropriate to do so in person.”

Grob said that after a discussion with the White House staffers, the religious leaders were ushered into the Oval Office, where Trump greeted them.

“We were then directed to stand behind him and pray. After which several photos were taken and we were ushered out,” he explained. “Unbeknownst to the group of bishops a video was also taken. But permission for the public distribution or posting of either the video or photos was not given by the bishops.”

“It did not take long thereafter for the White House to post a video and photos of the prayer. I soon began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that I had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election,” Grob confessed.

He noted that he had “heard from some who felt wounded because of the ways they or their family had been harmed by the president’s policies.”

“I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way,” he wrote.

“We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few,” he explained. “We should never have been put in that position by the White House. I did not go without reservations. I wish I had heeded them. Please know that I have heard these concerns, understand how I caused them, and I apologize for any damage my actions have done.”

Another faith leader who participated in the meeting, Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, has also apologized for the optics, saying that he felt the White House had “exploited” the gathering for “partisan political purposes.”

“There are many things tied to this present Administration that are blatantly at odds with our Catholic faith,” Joensen wrote, adding, “None of us bishops were unaware that our meeting was on the cusp of a national election. Yet in no way did any of us intend by our involvement to endorse any political party or any individual candidate. That said, in retrospect, I would have done well to be more mindful of Jesus’ admonition: ‘Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves’ (Matthew 10:16).”

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