Four more bishops speak out against Sen. Durbin lifetime achievement award

(OSV News) -- Five U.S. bishops have now spoken out against the decision of Chicago Cardinal Blase J. Cupich and the Archdiocese of Chicago to present Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., a “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his work on immigration issues in November due to the senator's longstanding public position on abortion.

The Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity Immigration Ministry and Cardinal Blase J. Cupich are scheduled to give Durbin, who is Catholic, the award at an event supporting the Archdiocese of Chicago’s local Immigration Ministry and National Pastoral Migratoria.

Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois -- in whose diocese Durbin resides, according to his official biography -- expressed his shock at the decision to The Pillar Sept. 20.

Bishop Paprocki told OSV News Sept. 24 that regardless of Durbin's record on other issues, his public position supporting policies to protect legal abortion disqualifies him from receiving any awards, per policies of both the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Archdiocese of Chicago itself.

"The reason I decided to step forward was in response to something that Cardinal Cupich and the Archdiocese of Chicago are doing," he told OSV News. "I didn't start this. They are doing something that is contrary to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' statement on 'Catholics in Political Life,' that we, as the bishops of the United States, issued back in 2004.

"And it says very clearly: 'The Catholic community and Catholic Institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.'"

"That's pretty clear," Bishop Paprocki said. "And in fact, the Archdiocese of Chicago has its own policy that is very similar to that about not giving honors or speaking opportunities to people whose public position is in opposition to the fundamental moral principles of the Catholic Church."

On Sept. 21, Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco posted on X his support of Bishop Paprocki, saying, "I stand in solidarity with Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, in urging Cardinal Cupich to reconsider giving Senator Durbin a Lifetime Achievement Award through the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity given his long record of supporting legal abortion.

"Bishop Paprocki, who is Senator Dick Durbin’s bishop, has expressed shock that the Archdiocese plans to honor Senator Durbin who, although a self-professed Catholic, supports access to abortion so radically that he has even opposed legislation to protect babies born after an attempted abortion. Bishop Paprocki is correct that both clarity and unity are at risk. I hope this will be a clarion call to all members of the Body of Christ to speak out to make clear the grave evil that is the taking of innocent human life."

He followed that up Sept. 23 with another post, saying: "Imagine this: a prominent member of the U.S. Senate has a very strong record on defending the human dignity of life in the womb but also advocates for funding for Border Patrol agents to shoot people trying to enter the country illegally. Would anyone think it reasonable to honor such a senator for the senator’s pro-life record on abortion? No one who advocates for the direct, intentional killing of innocent human life should be honored. Period."

Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska, also wrote on X on Sept. 23: "I too was shocked and bewildered to learn of this Lifetime Achievement Award to be presented to U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. The senator’s public record has been consistently pro-abortion and he has opposed any protections or safeguards for unborn children in the womb, even to the point of rejecting legislation to protect children who survive failed abortions.

"That goes against the fundamental moral principles of the Catholic Church. It seems to me there is still time to reconsider this decision. I pray for the good of the Church this award is not given to Senator Durbin and the scandal it will likely cause the faithful is avoided."

Bishop James S. Wall of Gallup, New Mexico, posted Sept. 24 simply, "Thank you @BishopPaproki" on X, in response to a formal fraternal correction that the Springfield bishop had written in First Things to Cardinal Cupich.

Also posting Sept. 24 was Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, who said, "The Archdiocese of Chicago’s plan to give @SenatorDurbin a Catholic “Lifetime Achievement Award” is untenable. Works of justice & protecting life are not mutually exclusive but must be inclusive. Abortion violates “Thou shalt not kill” (Ex 20:13). I join @BishopPaprocki & @ArchCordileone in urging @CardinalBCupich to retract this award. Let us together pray & act consistently for life!"

In response to an OSV News request for comment Sept. 24, a spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops declined to comment.

In a statement Sept. 22, Cardinal Cupich said Durbin purchased a condo in Chicago "some years ago" and "considers me to be his bishop."

As such, the cardinal said, "I have remained faithful to the May 2021 instructions of the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, advising bishops to “reach out to and engage in dialogue with Catholic politicians within their jurisdictions ... as a means of understanding the nature of their positions and their comprehension of Catholic teaching.”

Cardinal Cupich cited the church's teaching on the consistent ethic of life, a phrase coined by the late Cardinal Joseph L. Bernardin of Chicago, "that Catholic teaching on life and dignity cannot be reduced to a single issue, even an issue as important as abortion.

"The annual celebration of immigrants, Keep Hope Alive, will recognize all the critically important contributions Senator Durbin has taken to advance Catholic social teaching in the areas of immigration, the care of the poor, Laudato Si', and world peace," he continued. "The recognition of his defense of immigrants at this moment, when they are subjected to terror and harm, is not something to be regretted, but a reflection that the Lord stands profoundly with both immigrants who are in danger and those who work to protect them."

Referring to the 2021 CDF (now DDF, or Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith) letter encouraging the U.S. bishops to dialogue with Catholic politicians, Bishop Paprocki told OSV News, "That's fine. I do that. I've had dialogue with Senator Durbin. But when a bishop is trying to do that and the politician ignores it, well then you have to take some steps."

He pointed out that the question of Durbin's relationship with the local church predates him.

"This goes back to 2004 when the pastor of his parish here, Blessed Sacrament Parish in Springfield, was then Msgr. Kevin Vann. He's now Bishop Kevin Vann, the bishop of Orange, California. And he told -- back then -- Senator Durbin that he shouldn't go to Communion, and that was upheld by my predecessor, Bishop George Lucas, who's now Archbishop Emeritus of Omaha. And so that has been observed here," Bishop Paprocki said.

"Senator Durbin told me himself he does not go to Communion in our diocese," he added. "Well, he goes to Communion apparently at a church in Chicago. He has a condominium in Chicago, but he still has his home here in Springfield. I would say I'm still his bishop as far as that is concerned."

Bishop Paprocki pointed out that Cardinal Cupich was asked about Durbin's not being able to receive Holy Communion directly in 2018 by the State Journal Register, the newspaper in Springfield.

"Cardinal Cupich said, 'I leave it to each bishop who has an obligation to be in dialogue with his elected officials on this matter in terms of their own practice of the Catholic faith. I was not part of the discussion between the bishop and Senator Durban on that, so I can't comment on that, but I do respect any bishop who needs to take action within their own diocese, and I also believe that conversation should remain between those two,'" Bishop Paprocki told OSV News.

"Well, those two, as Cardinal Cupich himself said, would be Senator Durbin and me, Bishop Paprocki. And so at this point, that hasn't changed," the bishop added. "He still has a home here, which in canon law is called a domicile. He has a domicile here in this diocese. And so, to that extent, I'm in a position where I believe I have to say something. It's not just, well, should I say something? I believe I have that obligation."