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Miami Herald
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
American Bishops' War With Trump Admin Is Heating Up
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) seems to be battling with President Donald Trump's administration over some of its policies. Last week, the USCCB, the official assembly of the Catholic Church in the United States, slammed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for rescinding a policy that gave guidance on the care, custody and documentation of pregnant women they encounter. "It is deeply troubling and inexcusable that measures intended to ensure the basic safety of pregnant mothers and their young children while in government custody could be rescinded with such indifference toward the vulnerability of those involved," said Bishop Mark J. Seitz, of El Paso, Texas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration. CPB Acting Commissioner Pete Flores issued the memo, which was circulated internally but not publicly announced, on May 5, revealing that four policies were determined "either obsolete or misaligned with current Agency guidance and immigration enforcement priorities." One of them was the 2022 memo "Processing of Pregnant, and Postpartum Noncitizens and Infants," which lays out guidelines for CPB, which include offering a medical assessment to all pregnant women and making sure breast-feeding mothers have access to privacy and rest facilities. "This decision is all the more concerning as the Administration simultaneously ramps up family detention in place of safer, more cost-effective alternatives to detention," Seitz said. "Let us be clear: protecting pregnant mothers and their children can never be considered 'obsolete.' This principle irrefutably extends to noncitizens in immigration detention, each of whom possesses an inviolable, God-given dignity that must be respected. "We urge the Administration to reissue guidance that adequately reflects and affirms the increased standard of care due to this vulnerable population while in government custody." Newsweek has contacted CBP via email for comment. The memo does stress that CBP agents should continue to uphold the care guidelines laid out in all remaining policies. "The safety of all who we encounter during operations remains a top priority," it says. "All CBP personnel are expected to treat those in Agency custody in a professional and respectful manner." It comes amid an ongoing civil case in which the USCCB is suing the Trump administration over its suspension of refugee programs. In a lawsuit filed in February, the USCCB said it has worked with the government for "nearly half a century" to help "refugees who are fleeing persecution, instability, and oppression and have come to the United States as a place of refuge and hope." The USCCB said that the spending freeze means the organization "faces irreparable damage to its longstanding refugee resettlement programs and its reputation and relationship with its subrecipients and the refugee populations it serves." Trump argued in January that his mission to "realign the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program" is because "the United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans." Trump's relationship with the Catholic Church has made headlines recently, following the election of the first American pope, Leo XIV, this month. While Leo is in the "middle of the road" in politics," he is "not happy with what's going on with immigration," his brother John Prevost tole The New York Times. Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he is open to talking to Leo about immigration and has also said he wants Leo's other brother, Louis Prevost, "a major MAGA fan" to visit the White House. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, traveled to Rome for a private audience with Leo, after attending his inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square last weekend. There was already tension between the church, to which 53 million U.S. adults belong, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2024, and the Trump administration, after Leo's predecessor, Pope Franics, rebuked Vance for invoking a "Christian concept" of extending love to your family and then fellow citizens before the rest of the world. But Francis wrote in a letter to Vance: "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the 'good Samaritan' (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception." America's relationship with the Catholic Church has long been important. Newsweek broke down the behind-the-scenes role it has played in American diplomacy and culture here. "Much of the future approach of the USCCB to the White House will depend also on the signs they will receive from Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican in the next few weeks and months," theology and religious studies professor Massimo Faggioli told Newsweek. "It's something the White House will pay more attention to. All this in the context of a Catholic VP, JD Vance, who is really trying hard to justify anything that Trump and members of his Cabinet do," the Villanova University academic said. "Vance's pitch is designed for a Catholic audience and the bishops know it." Related Articles Supreme Court Deals Blow to Catholic School Funded by TaxpayersDonald Trump Wants Pope Leo's Brother To Visit Him at White HousePope Leo XIV Inaugural Mass: List of Who Is Expected to AttendTrump Says He's Open to Talking to Pope Leo About Immigration 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
American Bishops' War With Trump Admin Is Heating Up
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) seems to be battling with President Donald Trump's administration over some of its policies. Last week, the USCCB, the official assembly of the Catholic Church in the United States, slammed U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for rescinding a policy that gave guidance on the care, custody and documentation of pregnant women they encounter. "It is deeply troubling and inexcusable that measures intended to ensure the basic safety of pregnant mothers and their young children while in government custody could be rescinded with such indifference toward the vulnerability of those involved," said Bishop Mark J. Seitz, of El Paso, Texas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration. CPB Acting Commissioner Pete Flores issued the memo, which was circulated internally but not publicly announced, on May 5, revealing that four policies were determined "either obsolete or misaligned with current Agency guidance and immigration enforcement priorities." Bishop Kevin J. Farrell places the Book of Gospels on the head of Monsignor Mark J. Seitz (right) as Father J. Douglas Deshotel kneels with a book on his head during the Episcopal Ordination on... Bishop Kevin J. Farrell places the Book of Gospels on the head of Monsignor Mark J. Seitz (right) as Father J. Douglas Deshotel kneels with a book on his head during the Episcopal Ordination on April 27, 2010, at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in downtown Dallas. More AP One of them was the 2022 memo "Processing of Pregnant, and Postpartum Noncitizens and Infants," which lays out guidelines for CPB, which include offering a medical assessment to all pregnant women and making sure breast-feeding mothers have access to privacy and rest facilities. "This decision is all the more concerning as the Administration simultaneously ramps up family detention in place of safer, more cost-effective alternatives to detention," Seitz said. "Let us be clear: protecting pregnant mothers and their children can never be considered 'obsolete.' This principle irrefutably extends to noncitizens in immigration detention, each of whom possesses an inviolable, God-given dignity that must be respected. "We urge the Administration to reissue guidance that adequately reflects and affirms the increased standard of care due to this vulnerable population while in government custody." Newsweek has contacted CBP via email for comment. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/AP/Getty The memo does stress that CBP agents should continue to uphold the care guidelines laid out in all remaining policies. "The safety of all who we encounter during operations remains a top priority," it says. "All CBP personnel are expected to treat those in Agency custody in a professional and respectful manner." It comes amid an ongoing civil case in which the USCCB is suing the Trump administration over its suspension of refugee programs. In a lawsuit filed in February, the USCCB said it has worked with the government for "nearly half a century" to help "refugees who are fleeing persecution, instability, and oppression and have come to the United States as a place of refuge and hope." The USCCB said that the spending freeze means the organization "faces irreparable damage to its longstanding refugee resettlement programs and its reputation and relationship with its subrecipients and the refugee populations it serves." Trump argued in January that his mission to "realign the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program" is because "the United States lacks the ability to absorb large numbers of migrants, and in particular, refugees, into its communities in a manner that does not compromise the availability of resources for Americans." The Bigger Picture: Trump And The Catholic Church Trump's relationship with the Catholic Church has made headlines recently, following the election of the first American pope, Leo XIV, this month. While Leo is in the "middle of the road" in politics," he is "not happy with what's going on with immigration," his brother John Prevost tole The New York Times. Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he is open to talking to Leo about immigration and has also said he wants Leo's other brother, Louis Prevost, "a major MAGA fan" to visit the White House. Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic convert, traveled to Rome for a private audience with Leo, after attending his inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square last weekend. There was already tension between the church, to which 53 million U.S. adults belong, according to U.S. Census Bureau data from 2024, and the Trump administration, after Leo's predecessor, Pope Franics, rebuked Vance for invoking a "Christian concept" of extending love to your family and then fellow citizens before the rest of the world. But Francis wrote in a letter to Vance: "Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups. The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the 'good Samaritan' (cf. Lk 10:25-37), that is, by meditating on the love that builds a fraternity open to all, without exception." America's relationship with the Catholic Church has long been important. Newsweek broke down the behind-the-scenes role it has played in American diplomacy and culture here. "Much of the future approach of the USCCB to the White House will depend also on the signs they will receive from Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican in the next few weeks and months," theology and religious studies professor Massimo Faggioli told Newsweek. "It's something the White House will pay more attention to. All this in the context of a Catholic VP, JD Vance, who is really trying hard to justify anything that Trump and members of his Cabinet do," the Villanova University academic said. "Vance's pitch is designed for a Catholic audience and the bishops know it."
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How is the next pope selected?
(NEXSTAR) – Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff in history, has passed away after a lifetime of dedication to the Catholic Church, the Vatican announced Monday. Francis' death comes only a few months after he was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia. He spent 38 days there — the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy — but appeared well enough to celebrate Holy Week, and he even blessed believers at an Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square the day before his passing. Plans for Francis' funeral have yet to be formally announced. But the death of the 88-year-old pontiff puts into motion the process of selecting a successor, according to longstanding Vatican traditions. Pope Francis emerges from convalescence on Easter Upon the death (or resignation) of a pope, a group of clergy members known as the College of Cardinals is called to convene in Rome for a conclave, where they will decide on the next leader of the Catholic Church. During this interim period — known as an 'interregnum' — the camerlengo (the Vatican's treasurer, essentially) acts as the temporary administrator of the Holy See. The current camerlengo is Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, the same official who announced Francis' death on Monday morning. There are currently 252 members of the College of Cardinals, which includes Vatican officials and bishops from around the world. Most members are located in Europe (114), though there are dozens each in Asia (37), South America (32), Africa (29) and North America (28). Central America (8) and Oceania (4) have the fewest members. Of these 252 members, only those under the age of 80 are allowed to vote on the next pope, meaning 135 are currently eligible to cast ballots. The successor will likely be one of their own (no one outside of the College has been selected as pope since 1378), but technically any baptized Roman Catholic man is eligible for the role. (The ages of the members of the College of Cardinals also range from 45 to 99, though rarely in recent history has a pontiff at such young or old ages been selected.) The eligible members of the College of Cardinals will gather at the Vatican for meetings in the coming weeks, where they 'discuss the needs and the challenges facing the Catholic Church globally,' the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) explains. Eventually, they will convene at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican to vote by secret ballot, 'processing one by one up to Michelangelo's fresco of the Last Judgment, saying a prayer and dropping the twice-folded ballot in a large chalice,' per the USCCB. If no candidate gets two-thirds of the vote, the process is repeated up to four times (total) per day. The public is notified if the voting body fails to reach the threshold when black smoke begins rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. If and when two-thirds of the College of Cardinals vote to select a specific candidate, that candidate is asked whether he accepts the role. If so, the ballots are burned with chemicals to create white smoke, which is sent billowing from the chimney to signal the impending formal announcement of a new pope. Photos: Pope Francis through the years It's tough to say who, among the eligible members, might be favored for the position, as it's considered uncouth to discuss such matters publicly — and even poorer form to campaign for the job. To that point, a popular saying in Vatican circles is that if you 'enter a conclave as pope, you leave as a cardinal' — a phrase which implies the sacred process is no popularity contest or campaign, but rather the divinely inspired election of Christ's Vicar on Earth by the princes of the church. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
U.S. Catholic bishops end refugee partnerships with federal government
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Monday said it would not renew 50-year-old agreements with the federal government to provide children's services and refugee support. Why it matters: The decision marks the shuttering of one of the country's largest and longest -serving refugee resettlement initiatives. It comes as the Trump administration continues pursuing its immigration crackdown. The big picture: The USCCB is choosing not to renew contracts that were already paused by President Trump. The contracts funded services to help refugees, unaccompanied refugee minors, asylees, and victims of human trafficking and torture. The USCCB worked to"ensure that the basic needs of each arriving refugee are adequately met." What they're saying: "This difficult decision follows the suspension by the government of our cooperative agreements to resettle refugees," Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the USCCB, said in a statement. "The decision to reduce these programs drastically forces us to reconsider the best way to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters seeking safe harbor from violence and persecution." Zoom in: The USCCB said it would find alternative means of supporting the people already admitted to its programs, while advocating for policy reforms that provide an orderly and secure immigration process. Its migration and refugee services are the largest refugee resettlement agency in the world, according to the USCCB website. Context: Part of Trump's crackdown on immigration has included tightening refugee admissions. The Trump administration suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program in January, but a federal judge then temporarily blocked President Trump's efforts. Last month, a federal judge denied a request from USCCB to compel the Trump administration to reinstate its contracts and resume paying expenses for resettling refugees in the U.S. The bishops appealed the ruling. Flashback: Vice President JD Vance in January said the USCCB was not a "good partner" in immigration enforcement, after a number of Christian organizations rebuked Trump's immigration executive orders.
The Guardian
07-04-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US bishops halt aid partnerships with government due to funding cuts
The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced on Monday that it is ending a half-century of partnerships with the federal government to serve refugees and children, saying the 'heartbreaking' decision follows the Trump administration's abrupt halt of funding for refugee resettlement. The break will inevitably result in fewer services than Catholic agencies were able to offer in the past to the needy, the bishops said. 'As a national effort, we simply cannot sustain the work on our own at current levels or in current form,' said US military services archbishop Timothy Broglio, president of the USCCB. 'We will work to identify alternative means of support for the people the federal government has already admitted to these programs. We ask your prayers for the many staff and refugees impacted.' The decision means the bishops won't be renewing existing agreements with the federal government, the bishops said. The announcement did not say how long current agreements were scheduled to last. Catholic bishops sued Donald Trump's administration in February over its abrupt halt to the funding of aid provided to newly arrived refugees, saying they are owed millions already allocated by Congress to carry out resettlement aid under an agreement with the federal government. But a federal judge ruled that he couldn't order the government to pay money due on a contract, saying a contractual dispute belongs before the court of federal claims. The bishops have appealed that ruling. Beyond that specific funding dispute is the Trump administration's halt to all new refugee arrivals. The Catholic bishops oversaw one of 10 national agencies, most of them faith-based, which contracted with the federal government to resettle refugees who come to the US legally after being vetted and approved by the federal government. Broglio's announcement didn't specify what the children's services program was. The bishops have overseen Catholic agencies resettling displaced people for a century. In recent decades they had done so in a partnership with the US government, receiving grants that covered much, though not all, of the expenses. The Trump administration's 'decision to reduce these programs drastically forces us to reconsider the best way to serve the needs of our brothers and sisters seeking safe harbor from violence and persecution', Broglio said. Despite Broglio's asking for prayers for the 'many staff and refugees impacted', the announcement did not specify whether the cuts would lead to any layoffs. JD Vance, a Catholic convert, accused the bishops conference in January of resettling immigrants who are in the US illegally in order to get millions in federal funding – an apparent reference to the resettlement program, which actually involves legally approved refugees. The bishops noted that rather than making money on the program, they receive less in federal aid than the programs cost and need to supplement the funding with charitable dollars. The vice-president followed up his criticisms by appealing to Catholic teaching as justifying immigration restrictions. That drew rejoinders not only from US bishops but an implicit rebuke from Pope Francis, who said Christian charity requires helping those in need, not just those in one's closest circles.
