Mary Rooke Commentary and Analysis Writer
Three U.S. Catholic Cardinals banded together to launch a partisan attack on the Trump administration’s foreign policy endeavors, without a single consideration for the American flock they are required to care for.
Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago; Cardinal Robert McElroy, Archbishop of Washington; and Cardinal Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, issued a strongly worded and laughable statement Monday against President Donald Trump’s policy decisions regarding Venezuela, Ukraine, and Greenland.
“The events in Venezuela, Ukraine and Greenland have raised basic questions about the use of military force and the meaning of peace. The sovereign rights of nations to self-determination appear all too fragile in a world of ever greater conflagrations,” the cardinals said.
“We renounce war as an instrument for narrow national interests and proclaim that military action must be seen only as a last resort in extreme situations, not a normal instrument of national policy. We seek a foreign policy that respects and advances the right to human life, religious liberty, and the enhancement of human dignity throughout the world, especially through economic assistance,” they added.
From Pope Leo XIV’s Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See:
“In our time, the weakness of multilateralism is a particular cause for concern at the international level. A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is…— Cardinal Cupich (@CardinalBCupich) January 9, 2026
I mean this with the most charity and respect that I can muster as a devout Catholic: the cardinals wringing their hands over violations of borders and the use of force is rich considering how clearly they don’t believe this applies to the U.S. and its citizens. U.S. borders were violated for four years under a supposedly Catholic president, without a single opposing word against his inhumane policies. (Sign up for Mary Rooke’s weekly newsletter here!)
Over 300,000 immigrant children were lost coming across the Southern border, many of whom were likely sold into sexual slavery and living in barbaric conditions. The Biden administration sent armed FBI agents to innocent Catholics’ homes for defending their children and praying in front of abortion clinics. The use of force to arrest these people was a heinous overreaction to the supposed crimes they were accused of committing. Americans lost their jobs and were banished from society for refusing to receive a vaccine or protesting anti-human curriculum at their children’s schools. Where was their statement on then?
When Jocelyn Nungaray was sexually assaulted and murdered, Cupich, McElroy, and Tobin were silent. Their sudden passion for moral foreign policy appears suspiciously timed, now that Trump’s agenda doesn’t align with their left-wing political views.
We oppose any immigrant mass deportation plan – Vatican News:https://t.co/hcUvjZT65y
— Cardinal Cupich (@CardinalBCupich) January 20, 2025
The cardinals tie their critique to the defense of human life, religious liberty, and humanitarian aid, which are worthy causes that all Catholics support. But they ignore domestic threats to life and dignity under previous administrations. True Catholic morality isn’t pacifism disguised as prudence. It’s the courage to confront evil, defend the innocent, and secure justice.
The reality of politics within the Catholic Church is not dissimilar to that in America. This statement is the last cry of a dying generation of liberal priest who have forgotten that their flock rests in the heartland of America. Thankfully, the younger generation of priests are aware of the times in which we live and are working diligently to help their parishioners find everlasting life in Christ. (ROOKE: Anti-ICE Protesters Made Fatal Mistake In PR Battle Over Minnesota)
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