US Catholic bishops criticize White House for using prayer footage in campaign

Twelve Catholic bishops in the United States are facing criticism from the Sisters of Charity of New York following a meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office. The controversy stems from a video released by the White House, which was subsequently used by Trump’s campaign committee in a series titled ‘Religious Fridays.’

The footage shows the bishops praying for the President and the United States. While the meeting was intended to discuss Church matters—including immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, and human dignity—several hierarchs have condemned the political exploitation of the event. Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee issued a public apology, clarifying that the prayer was not a declaration of support for the President and that the meeting was private in nature.

Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines expressed regret for not being more cautious, stating he wished he had been more ‘shrewd’ to avoid the meeting being used for partisan purposes. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) clarified that the meeting was not organized by the conference and was not an official association of the USCCB.