Statement by Ruth Institute President, Jennifer Roback Morse, regarding the
US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement regarding the election:
I am deeply disappointed by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops President, Archbishop Jose Gomez’s statement on the US Presidential election. Congratulating
Joe Biden on his election as President of the United States before all the votes have been counted shows poor judgement at best. Statements by the
media have no authority to decide an election. Secretaries of State in each state must certify the results of the elections in their state. Archbishop
Gomez is surely aware of the numerous disputes across the country surrounding the integrity of the election process. For him to prematurely “recognize
that Joseph R. Biden, Jr. has received enough votes to be elected the 46th President of the United States,” is to claim a knowledge and
an authority that he does not possess.
Furthermore, Archbishop Gomez’s call for “unity” and “compromise” is not appropriate to the situation. All voters, including Catholic voters, in states
with credible accusations of election fraud have every right to contest the election through all legal channels. They should not be asked to “promote
fraternity and mutual trust,” when their trust has been violated by credible allegations of election tampering. The court challenges and legal processes
should be allowed to proceed without prejudice.
When the media claimed to “call” the election for Biden, many thoughtful people concluded that they were attempting to build momentum for the idea that
Biden had won, in spite of the serious problems with the election process. This is precisely the sort of thing that many Americans have come to expect
from the legacy media, with its barely concealed commitment to the Biden campaign. What should the public conclude when an official of the Catholic
Church makes a comparable premature congratulation?
Most importantly, Archbishop Gomez’s final statement is frankly, revolting. He asks the Virgin Mary to help us work together to fulfill the vision of America,
“one nation under God, where the sanctity of every human life is defended and freedom of conscience and religion are guaranteed.” The Democratic
Party promises to do precisely the opposite on every point. They will eliminate what remains of religious conscience rights. They have no respect for
innocent human life. And they booed at the mention of God at their 2012 convention.
The Ruth Institute is an interfaith international coalition to defend the family and build a civilization of love. Everything we do is in keeping with
the teachings of the Catholic Church. We have followers around the world: Evangelicals, Mormons, and Jews, who are working hard to defend Catholic
teaching, not because the teaching is Catholic, but because the teaching is true. None of us has the slightest illusion about the Democratic Party.
The Ruth Institute reminds the public that Archbishop Gomez’s statement has no authority to bind Catholics who may wish to contest the election through
legally permissible means.
We call on all Catholic clergy to distance themselves from this unfortunate and ill-conceived statement by Archbishop Jose Gomez, President of the US Conference
of Catholic Bishops.
