Five Catholic bishops have now spoken out against Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich’s plan to honor U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin with a lifetime achievement award for his work on immigration. I’m confident more bishops will have the courage to take the cardinal to task for this ill-advised plan. And I hope you will also (see www.ProLifePetition.com).
It’s true that the senator, an Illinois Democrat, has frequently stood up for people who have entered the U.S. illegally, and their children. While immigration remains controversial, that’s not the issue causing the problem.
The obvious problem is that in his congressional career that began in 1983 when he was sworn in to the House of Representatives, Durbin, despite being Catholic and even having once been pro-life, has been an abortion extremist.
He voted against a bill to protect babies from the brutality of a partial-birth abortion and another to protect them from dismemberment abortion. He voted against advancing a bill to mandate life-saving care for newborns who survive an abortion, saying it “targets and intimidates reproductive healthcare providers.” He even voted against a bill to make it a federal crime to harm an unborn child while committing another crime.
When the cardinal’s plans became public, Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, IL, issued a “fraternal correction,” asking Cardinal Cupich to drop his ill-conceived plans.
Writing for First Things earlier this week, Bishop Paprocki spoke to Durbin’s abortion advocacy and the incongruity of bestowing an award based on his fight for dignity for migrants.
“This obscene violence—a legal right to which Durbin sought to enshrine in American law—is contrary to human dignity and human solidarity. Thus, it is absurd that Sen. Durbin should be given an award from the office of ‘human dignity and solidarity’ when Durbin has spent his time in office denying the human dignity of the unborn and undermining solidarity with the weakest and most vulnerable among us.”
Durbin previously lived in the Springfield diocese, and since 2004, at Bishop Paprocki’s direction, he has been barred from receiving communion there.
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone posted on his X account that “Bishop Paprocki is correct that both clarity and unity are at risk. I hope this will be a clarion call to all members of the Body of Christ to speak out to make clear the grave evil that is the taking of innocent human life.”
Three other bishops also posted on their X accounts.
Bishop James Conley of the Diocese of Lincoln, NE, noted the “scandal it will likely cause the faithful” if Durbin receives an honor from the Church.
Bishop James Wall of the Diocese of Gallup, NM, thanked Bishop Paprocki and quoted St. John Paul II’s 1995 Evangelium Vitae: “Man’s life comes from God; it is his gift, his image and imprint, a sharing in his breath of life. God therefore is the sole Lord of this life: man cannot do with it as he wills.”
Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay, WI, pointed out the most obvious problem with honoring an abortion supporter: “Abortion violates ‘Thou shalt not kill.’”
When objections to his plan were first raised, Cardinal Cupich told Catholic News Agency that Durbin now lives in the Chicago Archdiocese and he is merely following the advice of the Vatican by engaging with a politician within his jurisdiction to better understand his comprehension of Catholic teaching.
No one would object to the cardinal “engaging” with Durbin. But honoring him is nothing short of outrageous.
In 2004, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement called Catholics in Political Life that very clearly stated the following:
“The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
Perhaps the cardinal should read that document again.
I’ve asked Priests for Life’s supporters to sign a petition at ProLifePetition.com calling on Cardinal Cupich to change his plans. Thousands responded on the first day and we are receiving more signatures by the hour. In their comments, people are telling us they are confused, angry and hurt.
Bestowing an honor on an abortion extremist will harm our Church. Cardinal Cupich, please change your mind.
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