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6 takeaways for Catholics from the State of the Union

State of the Union State of the Union
President Joe Biden gestures as he delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Feb. 7, 2023. (OSV News photo/Kevin Dietsch, pool via Reuters)

On Feb. 7, President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union Address, his first to a divided Congress since Republicans took over the House. And while the president’s speech highlighted some efforts at the center of Catholic social teaching, other critical elements of Catholic doctrine were sidelined or directly opposed.

President Biden stopped short of quoting Pope Francis, as President Obama has done, or referencing his Catholic faith directly. See how some of the initiatives highlighted in the president’s speech stack up to the teaching of the U.S. bishops.

Marriage

“I signed over 300 bipartisan laws since becoming president. From reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, to the Electoral Count Reform Act, to the Respect for Marriage Act that protects the right to marry the person you love.”

The U.S. bishops opposed the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act this fall, calling the bill “misnamed” and saying that it “does not strike a balance that appropriately respects our nation’s commitment to the fundamental right of religious liberty.”

Environment

“The climate crisis doesn’t care if your state is red or blue. It is an existential threat.”

Following his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis has called for Catholics to be increasingly committed to the care of creation. The U.S. bishops praised the environmental protections included in the Inflation Reduction Act, passed this fall. Archbishop Pauls S. Coakley, archbishop of Oklahoma City and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, said in a statement, “Climate change is a global challenge that requires courageous, long-term action from Congress, and I am grateful for the many substantial climate provisions that bring the United States closer to honoring its emissions reductions goals under the Paris Agreement, which Pope Francis has strongly encouraged us to meet.”

Dignity of work

“We’re beginning to restore the dignity of work. … Let’s also make sure working parents can afford to raise a family with sick days, paid family and medical leave, and affordable child care that will enable millions more people to go to work.”

The position of the U.S. bishops is: “Public policy should protect people who have to take time away from their jobs to handle serious family responsibilities. Parents should not have to worry about being penalized for taking care of themselves, a sick child or spouse.” Such legislation is a priority for Catholics, since family life is the bedrock of society. Advocating for policies to support women and families this fall, the U.S. bishops wrote, “We must ensure that public policy never replaces the role of families but, rather, empowers them, and that, as we support families in need, we are mindful to not inadvertently perpetuate a state of need.”

Abortion

“Congress must restore the right the Supreme Court took away last year and codify Roe v. Wade to protect every woman’s constitutional right to choose. The vice president and I are doing everything we can to protect access to reproductive health care and safeguard patient privacy. But already, more than a dozen states are enforcing extreme abortion bans. Make no mistake, if Congress passes a national abortion ban, I will veto it.”

On Feb. 2, a reporter asked Biden about the Catholic bishops’ opposition to tax-payer funding for abortions. The president claimed that neither the U.S. bishops nor Pope Francis were opposed to that. In response, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement: “Taxpayer funding of abortion would force people of good conscience to participate in this grave evil against their will. It would contradict our right to live in accord with the tenets of our faith.”

War in Ukraine

“Tonight, we are once again joined by Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States. She represents not just her nation, but the courage of her people. Ambassador, America is united in our support for your country. We will stand with you as long as it takes.”

Shortly after the outbreak of the war, the U.S. bishops wrote, “We continue to call on the U.S. government to aid humanitarian access and to support and provide assistance to those who remain in Ukraine and those fleeing the country.” Calling for an immediate end to “Russia’s armed aggression and unprovoked war on Ukraine,” the bishops encouraged American Catholics to pray for peace.

Ban assault weapons

“Ban assault weapons once and for all. We did it before. I led the fight to ban them in 1994. In the 10 years the ban was law, mass shootings went down. After Republicans let it expire, mass shootings tripled. Let’s finish the job and ban assault weapons again.”

The U.S. bishops have stated: “We reiterate our support for a federal extreme risk protection order, a total ban on assault weapons, a ban on ‘bump stocks,’ limitations on civilian access to high-capacity weapons and ammunition magazines, and a more appropriate minimum age for gun ownership. We also support measures that control the sale and use of firearms, such as universal background checks for all gun purchases.”