SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — A Catholic bishop’s opposition to the Archdiocese of Chicago’s plans to honor Sen. Dick Durbin despite the powerful politician’s support of abortion rights has revived a decades-old struggle between church teaching and political reality.
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago announced last week that the archdiocese will present a lifetime achievement award to the high-ranking Catholic Democrat for his work helping immigrants at a Nov. 3 fundraiser for the archdiocese’s immigration ministry.
The plans were announced as President Donald Trump’s administration maintains a surge of immigration enforcement in the Chicago area that federal officials said has resulted in at least 550 arrests.
However, it’s Senator Durbin’s support for abortion rights — while he personally disapproves of abortion — that elicited objections from Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Durbin’s hometown, who said he was “shocked” by the idea of honoring the U.S. Senate’s No. 2 Democrat.
“This decision risks causing grave scandal, confusing the faithful about the Church’s unequivocal teaching on the sanctity of human life,” Paprocki stated.
Durbin, 80, has announced he would not seek reelection, ending over four decades on Capitol Hill. Cupich, however, argued that Durbin’s total body of work, including critical efforts on behalf of immigrants, ought to be recognized.
“Catholic teaching on life and dignity cannot be reduced to a single issue, even an issue as important as abortion,” Cupich remarked, emphasizing the need to acknowledge efforts protecting vulnerable populations.
Throughout history, U.S. bishops have faced challenges in reconciling church teachings on abortion with the political actions of lawmakers, and this recent case underscores the complexity of Catholic involvement in politics today.
