A Protestant preacher connected to a worship service at the Pentagon is drawing strong criticism from Catholics after suggesting that Marian and Eucharistic processions should be banned in an “ideal America,” labeling them acts of “idolatry.”
Doug Wilson, an Idaho pastor and co-founder of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), made the remarks during an interview discussing his vision of a Christian nation. According to LifeSiteNews, Wilson argued that public Catholic processions honoring the Virgin Mary or the Eucharist would not be permitted in such a society.
Wilson said Catholics could retain certain aspects of public religious expression but not others. “We are a Christian nation, so church bells are okay, but a Muslim call to prayer in the public space would not be okay,” Wilson said, according to LifeSiteNews. “Catholic church bells would be okay, but a parade in honor of the Virgin Mary, carrying an image of the Virgin Mary down Main Street, no!”
Wilson also suggested that Eucharistic processions would likely face similar restrictions.
When asked whether processions honoring the Eucharist would be permitted, he replied that it would depend on how they were conducted but indicated they would probably be prohibited. According to LifeSiteNews, Wilson argued that such events could be classified as “public displays of idolatry.”
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“Basically, public displays of idolatry, what the Protestant foundation of the law would consider to be idolatry, would not be allowed,” Wilson said, according to LifeSiteNews. “So you wouldn’t have a Hindu procession with a Hindu god, you wouldn’t have a procession of the Virgin Mary.”
The comments have alarmed many Catholics, particularly because Wilson was previously invited by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to lead a worship service at the Pentagon on February 17.
According to LifeSiteNews, the Department of War shared a photo of Hegseth attending the service, and a Pentagon spokesman later told the Associated Press that the secretary “very much appreciates” many of Wilson’s teachings and writings.
Wilson is widely known for promoting forms of Christian nationalism and is affiliated with Pilgrim Hill Reformed Fellowship in the Nashville area. Hegseth reportedly attends that church.
The controversy has prompted strong reactions from Catholic commentators, who argue that the characterization of Catholic devotional practices as idolatry reflects a longstanding misunderstanding of Catholic teaching about the Eucharist and the communion of saints.
Catholic writer and podcast host Joshua Charles responded publicly to the remarks, invoking the teaching of St. Robert Bellarmine. According to LifeSiteNews, Charles said the claim that Eucharistic processions constitute idolatry represents a “fundamentally antichristic stance.”
For Catholics, Eucharistic processions are not symbolic demonstrations but acts of worship directed to Christ Himself. The Church teaches that the Eucharist is truly the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, not a mere symbol. Public processions honoring the Blessed Sacrament have been part of Catholic life for centuries, most notably during the feast of Corpus Christi.
Likewise, Marian processions honor the Blessed Virgin Mary not as a deity, but as the Mother of God who leads the faithful to her Son. Catholic theology distinguishes clearly between the worship owed to God alone and the veneration given to the saints.
The debate also highlights the broader reality of Catholic life in the United States. According to demographic estimates cited by LifeSiteNews, roughly one in five Americans identifies as Catholic, making the Church larger than any individual Protestant denomination in the country.
For many Catholics, Wilson’s remarks touch on more than a theological disagreement. They raise concerns about how Catholic beliefs and public expressions of faith are viewed by influential figures within certain Protestant and political circles.
While Catholic processions have long been visible expressions of faith in cities across the world, including throughout the United States, the suggestion that they should be banned from public life has sparked renewed discussion about religious freedom and the place of Catholic devotion in the public square.
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