Attacks Catholic Bishop’s Stance on Immigration.
Steve Bannon, only a month from leaving the White House, is already stirring up controversy. In tonight’s interview on 60 minutes with Charlie Rose, Mr. Bannon lashed out at the Catholic Church and several bishops.
Steve Bannon Attacks Catholic Church[/tweetthis]
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Bannon, a practicing Catholic, stated “to come to grips with the problems in the church. They need illegal aliens. They need illegal aliens to fill the churches. That’s – it’s obvious on the face of it. They have an economic interest. They have an economic interest in unlimited immigration, unlimited illegal immigration.”
This comes at the public attack that has been made by several bishops at President’s Trump decision to end DACA, which would deport 800,000 undocumented immigrants, who arrived as children to the United States. More than a quarter of U.S. Catholics today were born outside the United States.
The implication that the Catholic Church is only interested in immigrant rights for economic gain has obviously created some backlash. Bishop Dolan of New York called the statement “insulting” and “it doesn’t merit a response.”
The justification for supporting immigrants has been connected several statements in the Bible, including Matthew 25: “For I was hungry and you gave me food…a stranger and you welcomed me.”
Bannon, a practicing Catholic with a unique religious viewpoint, countered that the support of undocumented immigrants goes beyond church doctrine. He called the Bishop’s viewpoints “just another guy with an opinion.” Less than half of white Catholics believe that immigration is a positive force in the United States.
This is the latest clash between religious leaders and supporters of President Trump. While President Trump has had the support of evangelical groups over his tough stance on immigration, he has raised objections from other religious groups arguing that he is fundamentally attacking the compassionate ethics that are foundational for religious beliefs.