White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday that President Biden will continue to attend Mass, pushing back against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which is moving forward with a plan to possibly rebuke the pro-abortion president by denying him Communion.
“Joe Biden is a strong man of faith,” Ms. Psaki said at the White House press briefing. “He goes to church nearly every weekend. He even went when we were on our overseas trip.”
Ms. Psaki said the president’s faith has guided him through “some challenging moments.”
“That’s how many Americans see their faith, not through a political prism,” she said. “So I expect he’ll continue to attend church as he’s done for many, many years.”
The bishops last week voted to advance guidelines that could limit Communion for Mr. Biden and other politicians who support abortion.
The bishops voted 168-55 in favor of drafting a “formal statement of the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church.” Six bishops abstained.
Any action taken by the bishops would need to be approved by the Vatican. The bishops will spend the summer developing the statement and present it for final approval in November.
Mr. Biden’s election as the nation’s second Roman Catholic president has sparked debate over whether the church should deny Communion to politicians who endorse abortion rights, which are at odds with church teachings.
The Democratic president himself refused to address the issue when asked about it on Friday.
“That’s a private matter, and I don’t think it’s going to happen,” he said.
Mr. Biden has spoken vocally about his faith, regularly attending Mass since childhood and Catholic schools. He also has blessed himself with the Sign of the Cross at public appearances.
While he has said he opposes abortion on religious groups, Mr. Biden has also said he doesn’t want to force his opinion on others.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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