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Catholic Americans expressed frustration after President Biden publicly broke with the teachings of the Catholic Church once again on Monday.
Biden has faced accusations of being a “cafeteria Catholic” throughout his tenure, and that criticism resurfaced this week after the Vatican released a declaration reaffirming its opposition to “gender theory,” surrogacy and other progressive social movements. In response, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre asserted Biden’s support for the transgender community and all it entails.
“Pope Francis is right to remind the world that all humans are created in the image and likeness of God and because of that each of us has inherent dignity that can’t be swept away,” Joshau Mercer, the vice president of Catholic Vote told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“Francis reaffirmed that God made us male and female. And the pope didn’t dodge the tough questions. Despite what loud voices in our culture say, the answer to gender dysphoria is not to mutilate our bodies,” he added.
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Catholic Americans expressed frustration after President Biden publicly broke with the teachings of the Catholic Church once again on Monday. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding the White House’s pushback on the Vatican’s declaration.
Meg Kilgannon, a Catholic and senior fellow for education studies at the Family Research Council, told Fox News that Biden’s transformation on social issues has been disturbing.
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As a key example, she cited Biden’s position on the Hyde Amendment, a longstanding federal rule banning taxpayer funds from directly paying for abortions. Biden was in favor of the rule for decades, arguing in 2007 that allowing such payments forcibly imposes a contrary view on the issue for pro-life Americans.
Biden abandoned that position in 2019, however, and his 2021 budget proposal did not include the provision.
President Biden has faced accusations of being a “cafeteria Catholic” throughout his tenure. A “cafeteria Catholic” is typically understood as someone who picks and chooses what Catholic teaching they want to believe. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
“He is not in line with the Church’s teachings, and he knows it. They know it, and I think they’re proud of it,” Kligannon said of the administration’s position on abortion and gender issues.
She added that her bishop in Arlington, Virginia, Bishop Michael Burbidge, has been actively encouraging parishes to teach on the Vatican’s declaration, titled “Dignitas Infinita.”
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Biden also faced a wave of criticism from Catholics on social media following the Vatican’s announcement.
“Does Biden think he’s more Catholic than the pope? Of course he does,” wrote Shane Schaetzel, a religious influencer on X.
Arch Kennedy, another Christian influencer on the platform, declared that “Biden proved once again that he is not saved by disagreeing with the Pope, who formally reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s assertion that attempts to alter gender are ultimately misguided attempts to play God.”
President Biden has flip-flopped on abortion for decades, most recently abandoning support for the Hyde Amendment. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Catholic Church in America has struggled with how to handle prominent, self-avowed Catholics who publicly reject the teachings of the Church in recent years. Both President Biden and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have faced questions about whether they should be refused communion.
“They are old, and it concerns me that they are out of line with Church teachings,” Kilgannon said of both Biden and Pelosi. “I’m certainly not just concerned about this in a political sense. I don’t wish hell on anyone. I’m concerned for their immortal souls, and I’m especially concerned for the children who are harmed by the movements they support.”
She added that Catholics need to pray for their leaders, “especially the president.”
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.
