Despite campaigning as a self-styled devout Catholic, President Joe Biden has endorsed a number of positions — most notably championing his party’s pro-abortion stance — that have run contrary to the church’s teachings.
As a result, Biden has drawn backlash from religious leaders, including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which pushed for a measure in 2021 aimed at denying the president communion.
USA President Joe Biden has claimed that he has been told to keep receiving Communion despite supporting extreme positions on abortion
He also claims that the US Conference of Bishops were not mentioned during the meeting pic.twitter.com/463rigd8Mp
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) October 30, 2021
More recently, Diocese of Saginaw Bishop Robert Gruss in Michigan drew a mixed reception with his remarks about the president.
“I don’t have any anger toward the president,” Gruss said in a sermon on April 5. “I feel sorry for him. I’m not angry at him. He’s just stupid. It’s not stupidity in the derogatory way; it’s stupidity in the sense of … he doesn’t understand the Catholic faith.”
The bishop went on to express the biblical values of forgiveness and patience with regard to Biden’s blatantly anti-Cathlolic agenda.
“If you’re harboring bad, negative, resentful feelings toward our president, you’re not free,” he advised. “Otherwise, you’re letting him control you and your thoughts and your words and your actions. And I guarantee that if he is a problem for you, then those thoughts, words and actions are negative. They’re going to come out and then we commit sin. That’s what sin is.”
Instead of letting that hostility fester, Gruss encouraged his congregation to confess it to the Lord.
Days later, the bishop responded to some backlash his remarks received from critics he asserted took the comments out of context.
“I was speaking in the context of forgiving the president and any people in government who offend us by their words and actions — that we cannot harbor resentment toward them, because in doing so it would be sinful. We must forgive them if we are to be free.”
Gruss stressed the importance of viewing the entire message in order to understand his deeper point.
Nevertheless, he did offer an apology for using one specific word to describe Biden.
“I used the word ‘stupid’ in reference to President Biden, recognizing that it was poor judgment in my choice of words,” he said. “It was not meant to be disparaging, and I apologize. I will continue to pray for the president and all political leaders that they may seek and be guided by the Spirit of Truth. I encourage people of all faiths and goodwill to pray for our great nation.”
