Catholic churches and religious groups throughout the country said Tuesday they strongly object to organizers of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast bestowing an award to Attorney General William P. Barr.
In separate statements, organizations ranging from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe to Association of Catholic Priests said Mr. Barr should not receive an award because of his support for the death penalty as well as his role in the heavy-handed tactics used to against demonstrators during protests this summer.
In July 2019, Mr. Barr directed the federal government to resume the execution of prisoners on death row.
“We consider Mr. Barr’s recent decisions in actions to be abhorrent in the context of the Catholic faith,” the Association of Catholic Priests said in a statement. “We consider especially scandalous his decision to begin again federal executions after 17 years of a moratorium.”
Mr. Barr is scheduled to receive the Christifideles Laici Award at the NCPB Wednesday. The award is given “in honor and gratitude for fidelity to the church, exemplary selfless and steadfast service in the Lord’s vineyard.”
Faithful America, the largest online community of Christians acting for social justice, has issued a petition calling the award “a political stunt” and asking the NCPB not to honor Mr. Barr.
The petition had nearly 21,000 signatures by Tuesday afternoon.
The organization said Mr. Barr is unworthy of the award because he had ordered police use tear gas and rubber bullets on protesters outside the White House in June during the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd while in police custody.
“Attorney General William Barr’s work — which includes teargassing peaceful protesters in front of the White House, defending the president’s lawless corruption and attacks on American elections, and reinstating federal executions — has nothing to do with service to the Lord, and cannot be described as fidelity to the Church,” the group said.
Neither the Justice Department nor spokeswoman for the NCBP immediately responded to a request for comment.
Also on Tuesday, Death Penalty Action, Red Letter Christians and Franciscan Action Network organized a protest and press conference opposing honoring Mr. Barr the NCPB.
Even individual Catholic archdioceses slammed the NCPB. The Archdiocese of Santa Fe called on the organization to withdraw the award, blasting Mr. Barr’s stance on the death penalty.
“Let us not become the evil we despise,” the archdiocese said in a statement.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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