ST. LOUIS (MO)
ABC News
ST. LOUIS — Jun 11, 2015
By RACHEL ZOLL AP Religion Writer
The nation’s Roman Catholic bishops engaged Thursday in a rare public discussion about whether their priorities properly reflect those of Pope Francis, with one church leader urging an emphasis on helping immigrants that’s at least as energetic as the bishops’ focus on religious freedom.
The issue arose at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ mid-year assembly in St. Louis, where church leaders considered their programming through the end of the decade.
In recent years, American bishops have channeled significant resources toward securing religious exemptions from laws they consider immoral such as gay marriage, seeking carve-outs for the church, its massive network of charities and individual for-profit business owners. Francis, elected in 2013, has a far different focus, dedicating his pontificate to the poor and most marginalized, from immigrants to the elderly.
In the morning session Thursday, Archbishop Blase Cupich, chosen by Francis last fall as Chicago archbishop, noted the effort U.S. bishops have made on behalf of “individual employers, secular employers,” with religious objections to some laws. He argued church leaders should give equal ranking to changing U.S. immigration policy in their planning for the years ahead.
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