Opinion

Patrick Murphy: Biden's election a setback for the Catholic Church in the US and Ireland

Joe Biden might be the second Catholic elected to the office of President but that doesn't make his election good news for the Catholic Church in the United States as well as Ireland. Picture by AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Joe Biden might be the second Catholic elected to the office of President but that doesn't make his election good news for the Catholic Church in the United States as well as Ireland. Picture by AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster Joe Biden might be the second Catholic elected to the office of President but that doesn't make his election good news for the Catholic Church in the United States as well as Ireland. Picture by AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

IN an interesting twist of fate, Joe Biden's election as America's second Catholic president represents a significant setback for the US Catholic Church - and his popularity in Ireland will not help the Church here either.

Despite his religion, Biden is at odds with the Church over abortion and same-sex marriage.

While Irish America and Ireland celebrate Biden's victory, the Church's religious bonds which historically held both together have now been weakened.

Although a Catholic has reached America's highest office, many view the forthcoming Biden presidency as anti-Catholic, particularly with Kamala Harris as his Vice President.

It is the latest turn in a long story, which we might begin in 1854, when five Sisters of Mercy nuns left Ireland to minister during the Californian gold rush.

They were led by Newry woman, Sister Mary Baptist, formerly Katherine Russell, whose family were neighbours of (but politically distant from) John Mitchel.

The nuns faced massive anti-Catholic hostility in California, which was organised by the secret Know Nothing movement, devoted to preserving an Anglo-Saxon Protestant society.

The Presbyterian Mitchel, who was then living in the US following his escape from Australia, compared American anti-Catholicism with unionism in Ireland.

Despite opposition, Katherine Russell established California's first Catholic hospital in 1857, which began the Catholic hospital system throughout the state.

Fast forward to 2014 when California's Attorney General (AG) blocked the rescue of six non-for-profit Catholic hospitals, which had encountered financial difficulties under the Daughters of Charity.

California's Catholic hospitals faced renewed state opposition.

The AG has been described as "anti-Catholic" because, among other things, in 2018 she challenged the appointment of a district judge, because he was a member of the Knights of Columbanus and thus anti-abortion.

She also consistently used her power to counter much of the Church's teachings, including its opposition to same sex-marriage.

The Attorney General in question is Joe Biden's presidential running mate and likely successor, Kamala Harris.

Whatever you think about Catholic hospitals and the interface between Church teachings and the civil law, it is clear that the second Catholic presidency in the US will be significantly different from the first.

Sixty years ago many Irish houses had a china plate on the wall depicting images of President Kennedy alongside the Pope.

Despite his roots, if Biden makes it into any Irish homes, he will probably hang alone.

Although a regular Mass-goer, Church leaders have urged him to "repent" over his support for abortion and gay marriage, which they regard as "a serious threat to the common good".

Some bishops apparently believe that Biden should be again refused Communion (he was apparently refused it in South Carolina last year) but the Pope offered it to him during a meeting. (Maybe there is hope for plate-makers yet.)

Despite his differences with the Church's teachings, 51 per cent of US Catholics voted for Biden. (Up from 45 per cent for Democrats in 2016, when the US Bishops' Conference rushed to congratulate Donald Trump before the election results were certified.)

Biden's support may have been boosted by the Church's failure to deal with Cardinal McCarrick, formerly the most high profile and powerful Catholic in the US. (He concelebrated the funeral Mass for Joe Biden's son.)

He rose through Church ranks despite consistent allegations of sexual misconduct, but was finally defrocked last year, following a report which found the allegations credible.

Modern support for the Church's teachings comes mainly from Trump supporters, whose political ancestors organised anti-Catholicism 170 years ago.

Today it is a culturally Catholic Democrat presidency which leads the civic rejection of some of the Church's religious teachings (supported by most Irish nationalist parties).

By ignoring the wrongs in its own ranks, the US Church became a variation of California's Know Nothing Society, which plagued Katherine Russell.

That's the point about history. If you do not learn its lessons, it comes back to remind you.

I wonder what John Mitchel would make of it all.