Bishop Thomas Tobin Tweet about Biden-Harris

Let me get this straight… in a tweet (ironically) Bishop Thomas Tobin of Rhode Island made a curious observation:

“Biden-Harris. First time in a while that the Democratic ticket hasn’t had a Catholic on it. Sad.”

There is so very much wrong in this simple, short tweet that it beggars the imagination. First of all, Biden is of course a lifelong practicing Catholic, one who has spoken eloquently about his faith in regards to the multiple tragedies that he has been forced to cope with. The nation sees him — appropriately — as a man of character and empathy, regardless of their agreement with his policies. Surely the Bishop is aware of this.

Surely he is. The intent here is, as it has been in past elections, to smear the Democratic candidate because of their stance on abortion. Biden is specifically pro-choice, with a caveat… he has stated repeatedly that while he doesn’t personally approve of it, he feels in a non-sectarian nation it is inappropriate for his personal beliefs to affect law, and the law of the land is specific in that matter.

The effect of this attack (and it is, quite specifically, an attack) is to suggest to Catholics that Joe Biden is not one of them, that he is essentially at odds with his chosen faith, and unwelcome there. The periodic outcome has been to threaten the denial of the Eucharist to Biden when he visits unfamiliar churches and to challenge his self-identification. This sort of situational purity test is astonishingly hypocritical and self-destructive, particularly coming at a time when the church is fighting for public support and relevancy.

Let’s leave aside the obvious inconsistencies involving the denigration of Biden and the elevation of Trump, a choice that is as impossible to reconcile as it is inconsistent with a church that is supposedly apolitical. The bizarre applications of some issues of morality and the studied ignoring of others being practiced by the Bishops is not only at odds with logic but completely at odds with the pronouncements of Pope Francis, whose criticisms of the present administration have been neither subtle nor hidden. Let’s just focus on two aspects, one minor and one critical.

The minor one would be a particular messenger. Bishop Thomas J. Tobin might be a familiar name, if even vaguely; his fifteen seconds of fame came during the extraordinary revelations of the Pittsburgh Grand Jury in 2018. That report detailed that literally hundreds of priests had molested thousands of children over decades, and hid almost all of it, providing cover for its perpetuation. Bishop Tobin was an official in the Pittsburgh Diocese at the time, and when asked about it acknowledged that he was well aware of the abuses, but that his specific job didn’t require him to report them to authorities.

“… my responsibilities as General Secretary of the diocese did not include clergy assignments or clergy misconduct, but rather other administrative duties… even as an auxiliary bishop, I was not primarily responsible for clergy issues.”

So, Bishop Tobin was acutely aware of the destruction of young lives by priests of his diocese, but was ok with it because, what, he wasn’t being paid to worry about that? This man of God who was fine with such evil around him since it wasn’t his job, is so vehemently against someone else who is conscientiously doing his own job? If memory serves, Jesus was fairly specific in his thoughts on such hypocrisy by religious leaders…

Let’s keep moving on. The major issue is the hypocrisy of the church in demanding that someone holding a different position than doctrine no longer consider themselves a Catholic. Picking that particular fight seems to be an odd choice, and one that if followed would significantly end the relevancy of the Roman Catholic church in America, if not the world.

Let’s begin the carnage.

OK, first and easiest, all of you Catholics who support a women’s right to choose, you’re not welcome at Friday’s Fish Fry. Please leave.

All of you Catholics who have used birth control, or who support its use, please step outside. Your donations are no longer welcome. The church’s position on this issue is quite specific.

All of you Catholics who support the death penalty, please get up and leave. I’d note that includes our President, but by all accounts, he’s not been seen at a pew in years. Trump just recently reinstated the death penalty for federal crimes and wasted no time in taking a couple of lives.

While we’re discussing awkward positions of the administration, Pope Francis has been quite specific and vocal about his repudiation of the actions of the President in denying sanctuary to refugees and his general behavior at the border… something about welcoming the stranger and all that. If memory again serves, I believe that Trump was fairly indignant about the Father’s suggestion that someone who built walls rather than bridges might not be faithful to Christ’s wishes. So, all of you Trump Republicans… please exit quietly.

LGBTQ, the recent moves in your direction were obviously a mistake. Swish on out of here, and please take your friends, those who believe in your rights, with you.

As we’re looking at this, it’s not what you personally believe, but what you allow others to believe that is enough for ex-communication. Biden doesn’t say that he approves of abortion — actually, the reverse — but that it’s not his place to impose his beliefs on the nation.

Apparently, that’s the proper role of the church, so let’s get going.

OK, let’s see what we have left. We’ve kicked out everyone who believes in the right to choose (or in allowing others that right); we’ve removed all of those who use or approve of contraception; we’ve evicted everyone who supports the President’s edicts on immigration, border policies, and capital punishment. People who love differently, and those who just love people who love differently, are history. I think we’ve about covered it… we should be pure now.

Pretty empty in here… with a relatively few exceptions, all that remain are a bunch priests who sexually abuse children and those cowards who protect and support them. At least Bishop Tobin should be comfortable with his peers now.

If this is what the Catholic Church would like to be, the policies that they believe Christ desires and are in the interests of their flocks, have at it… but at least have the chutzpah to stand up and say it out loud. Turn down the donations of those who you feel are unworthy of calling themselves Catholic, and shut your doors to anyone that varies from your standards. Acknowledge that all politicians are excommunicated unless they disavow the constitution, and only govern by your wishes.

Once upon a time, Catholics were precluded from public office because it was feared that they would follow the Pope instead of the law. John F. Kennedy was compelled to state that despite his faith, his fealty was to the Constitution. It seems, as far as Bishop Tobin is concerned, JFK had it exactly backward.

This is a test.

The U.S. Bishops must condemn Bishop Tobin, and clarify their position regarding Joe Biden immediately before more damage is done to their own church, and to America’s relationship with it. There must be a simple statement made — one that should never have been necessary — that it is accepted that public officials will enforce the nation’s laws, and that faithful people will be encouraged to practice their faith without intermingling the two.

Oh, and consider putting some distance between the church and that hypocrite in Rhode Island. He seems particularly unsavory and impure.