White House Meeting Between President Trump and Catholic Bishops Causes Regret Among Some Participants

A group of Catholic bishops has expressed regret over a recent White House meeting that was publicly photographed with President Trump in attendance.

The meeting, which took place on Thursday and included 11 other bishops besides Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob, was unexpectedly publicized by the White House just days after it occurred. This move left the participants feeling caught off guard, as they had not given their consent for the images to be shared publicly.

Archbishop Grob released a statement titled "A Public Apology in response to the situation, revealing that he and his fellow bishops had received an influx of comments and questions about the meeting from concerned individuals.

The White House's decision to release photos and video from the meeting between bishops and President Trump has raised questions about consent. When asked whether the administration had sought the bishops' permission for releasing the footage, a spokesperson declined to comment.

The invitation to the bishops in September outlined several topics of discussion, including immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, abortion, and the use of federal tax credits for private education. It is unclear what specific issues were addressed during the meeting.

In his statement, Archbishop Grob emphasized that the bishops' participation was not an endorsement of the president or his policies. The White House's decision to post photos and video of the prayer has sparked concerns about the bishops' involvement in a potentially partisan event.

The bishops had intended to focus on building the common good" and praying with the president, rather than posing for a photo opportunity that could be exploited by the administration.

The White House meeting between President Trump and a group of Catholic bishops has left some of them feeling uneasy about being used as photo opportunities. Bishop Robert Grob expressed regret over attending the event, stating that he should not have gone despite his reservations.

This sentiment is reflective of the diverse views within the Conference of Catholic Bishops regarding Mr. Trump's policies, with some bishops like Bishop Robert Barron supporting his work on the Religious Liberty Commission and others strongly criticizing his stance on immigration enforcement as being at odds with Catholic teaching.