"Catholics for Trump" is an Oxymoron

In the 2016 presidential election, a good number of Catholics voted for Donald Trump. If we are to believe the mostly anecdotal reporting, they did so for a wide range of reasons, but the consensus seems to be their vote was based on economic reasons more so than religious ones. If the vote had anything to do with religion, it was the anti-abortion issue. (Yes Virginia, there are some people who vote for a political leader based on one issue.) Now that the country has had three years to observe Trump as president, some of his Catholics supporters have become disillusioned and are experiencing "buyer's regret."

Given that erosion of support, this week Donald Trump announced he will be holding one of his staged rallies in Milwaukee, Wisconson, on Thursday, March 19 at which time he will inaugurate a "Catholics for Trump" organization. On the other hand, he has declared his intention to skip the annual St. Patrick's Day bipartisan luncheon with House and Senate lawmakers, because according to the White House he doesn't like Nancy Pelosi, who happens to be a Catholic. (Some think he is afraid of her.)

The idea of a "Catholics for Trump" organization seems a bit far-fetched considering that Donald's father, Fred, in addition to his other prejudices and questionable sympathies, disliked Catholics. But we must remember we are talking about Donald Trump. Why would we expect consistency?


However, the basic question is, do Catholic values and Trump's values (or lack thereof) coincide? The obvious answer is that both Catholics and Trump are pro-life -- recently that is. In an interview in 1999, Trump emphatically declared, "I am pro-choice in every respect." But then he joined the GOP "revolution" to embrace a pro-life stance because it was "politically smart." (Not a surprising flip-flop for a man who was a Republican, became a Democrat in 2001, and relapsed into the Republican fold in 2009.)

Catholics have to ask themselves whether Donald Trump's policies are truly pro-life.

For starters, although a few states, some with Republican governors and legislatures, for reasons of ensuring justice, are placing the death penalty on the back burner.  Mr. Trump and William Barr, however, want to restart federal executions after a sixteen-year hiatus. The Catholic Church's pro-life stance has a long history of opposing the death penalty.

Secondly, Catholics must consider the pro-life implications of the Trump administration's attempt to cut funding for the food stamp program (SNAPS). and to emasculate the EPA. Life requires an adequate amount of nutrition, potable water, and clean air. Anything less is not pro-life.

Contrary to what he said when campaigning, Trump is now attempting to cut funding for Social Security and Medicare -- programs for the elderly and sick who invested a portion of their income in these programs all their working lives. Asking these people to pay for a large tax cut for the wealthy does not seem to coincide with the teachings of the man from Nazareth.

Other than the issue of abortion,  do Catholic values and those of Trump align?

Do Catholics agree with Trump's immigration policy? Is separating mothers and fathers from their children and placing innocent children in chain-link cages a policy based on New Testament ideology? I think not.

The racist rhetoric of Mr. Trump and his enabling comments about White Supremacists should give Catholics second thoughts. The social justice position of the Catholic Church is at odds with racism in any form.

A list of Trump's misogynistic behavior and remarks is seemingly endless; and although the Catholic Church has not had a great history in this regard, the Church teaches Catholics to respect and honor women. Do Catholics want to be seen as approving Trump's disrespect of women?

Due to the COVID-9 pandemic, the rally in Milwaukee has been canceled, as should the idea that an irreligious Trump represents Catholic values.

Catholics, of course, have the right to support Trump or any other political candidate, but their choice should not be associated with their religion.   And by that same token, bishops and priests should not be politicizing Catholic pulpits to support or attack a candidate.

As Americans, we need to keep government and politics out of churches, and religion out of the halls of government. and politics.