And if that wasn't enough to get President Trump elected, they chose a complete "airhead" to run against him, the "word salad speaking" Vice President Harris.
You can't make this stuff up. The Democrats got their archenemy elected. They have no one to blame but themselves.
But back to Bishop Budde.
Apart from an inappropriate setting to castigate the president, where he could not respond directly, and make no mistake, she was speaking to him directly, high aloft in a pulpit to protect her and elevate her words, what she said, in general terms, is Catholic Social Teaching. Pope Francis would well have said the generalities in the same way.
I don't think, though, that Pope Francis would have done so speaking high aloft from that same pulpit looking down on President Trump. I might be wrong, but not even Pope Francis would have done that even though he might agree with Bishop Budde.
I agree with Bishop Budde on many points that are religious but separated from political ideologies and laws promoted by that ideology. She clearly is anti-Catholic when it comes to sexual morality, abortion, and LGBTQ+++ Ideologies. No Catholic clergy were asked to pray at the service in which she castigated President Trump while other religions were included. So much for inclusivity.
I have read some commentaries by Episcopalians. They say Bishop Budde and the Anglican Communion have no moral authority to speak to anyone and that there are more clergy prancing around their sanctuaries/church buildings, than laity, as most laity have emptied the pews of the Anglican Communion, especially the super rich, upper class, nose looking down Protestant Episcopal Church USA.
10 comments:
This is actually a pretty good takedown of the Woke "bishop." Blogs do a much better job of researching and making a point than the tired, same old, same old, New York Times and Washington Post:
https://redstate.com/nick-arama/2025/01/22/scott-bessents-letter-in-response-to-woke-bishop-n2184684
Father McDonald, you noted that you are unfamiliar with Bishop Budde.
God has blessed me, a nobody, with tremendous recall. I know that you have better things to store in your memory. But in regard to Bishop Budde, I recall the following: On April 1, 2024 A.D., you had posted the following:
https://southernorderspage.blogspot.com/2024/04/wilton-cardinal-gregory-archbishop-of.html
Father, you had noted Bishop Budde's appearance, alongside Cardinal Gregory, the day prior on CBS' “Face the Nation.” You said that "Cardinal Gregory’s answers, while measured, were very good and he persisted even as the female Episcopal Bishop pushed back with a corrupt understanding of conscience and proclaimed her belief in a woman’s right to abortion as selfish healthcare for herself even as it murders a human baby in the womb!"
I agree with your comment in question.
I accept as sincere the remarks that Bishop Budde directed the other day at President Trump. It is proper to note President Trump's support of the Culture of Death.
However, Bishop Budde, in regard to abortion, for example, supports the Culture of Death. I pray that Bishop Budde will embrace the Culture of Life. Should that occur, Bishop Budde would possess greater credibility were she to note President Trump's participation in the Culture of Death.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Wow Mark! Great memory and great comment.
Mark Thomas,
You are way off the mark as usual to make a statement like that. President Trump supports the "Culture of Death?" On what planet? He gave us the justices who reversed Roe V Wade, he has cut off all public funding for abortion. During his first term he started no new hot wars and is preparing to end the ones fake Joe Biden got us involved in. Budde is a pretend bishop and a political operative.
Father McDonald:
And yet, had a Bishop spoken to President Biden about abortion, you would have lauded it, as indeed you rightly laud Mother Teresa’s remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in the presence of the Clintons. Why the distinction?
And as for Pope Francis, my memory is not as good as Mark Thomas’s, but I remember events and can research them. So, here again, is Pope Francis 2015 address to Congress:
https://time.com/4048176/pope-francis-us-visit-congress-transcript/
The entire speech repays re-reading, but please note especially the following language:
“In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants. Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected. For those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation. Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present. Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past. We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do this.
Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard decisions. On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12).
This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.
This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.”
Mark J.
Mark, congratulations on your retirement. I am enjoying mine! I think the major difference between Mother Teresa and Pope Francis is that their remarks are directed to the collective present before them and neither of them single out one specific leader in their "congregations" to castigate or embarrass. Bishop Budde in the video from an earlier post of mine, which Mark Thomas brought to my attention, is pro-choice, thus she has little to no compassion or welcome for an baby unwanted by her mother and sees the justification of her position as health care for the mother despite the evil inflicted on the child. Neither Pope Francis or Mother Teresa in their consistent pro-life positions, from conception to natural death, allow for such an evil. Thus Bishop Budde should allow President Trump, more than likely a non-believer, his pro-choice options too. There's a horrible hypocrisy in Bishop Budde which she does not recognize. If she visits Hilton Head and sits on the front row of the church and I am preaching, I don't think I would publicly embarrass her by her contradictions, but to the entire congregation plead for respect for life from conception to natural death and remind everyone that killing a child is not healthcare!
Father McDonald:
Thank you for your congratulations and your response.
I understand the distinction you are making, but it may be relevant that President Trump had already singled himself out as effectively chosen/anointed by God (which invites a whole other conversation): “I felt then, and I believe even more so now, that my life was saved by God to make America great again,” And this is how, and I think why, she addressed her remarks to President Trump as she did. I cannot recall another president who has explicitly made such a claim: Had President Clinton made such a claim, I wonder whether Mother Teresa would then have addressed him directly.
And so Bishop Budde frames that portion of her homily: “Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you and, as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God.”
In short: “You claim to have been saved by God to make America great again. Well, this is some of what that might mean and what God may be asking of you.”
Ideally, yes, abortion could have been mentioned too as he (and Melania) has already sold out on that issue as well. As Mark Thomas correctly says, President Trump (and Melania) is also now part of the Culture of Death, even if some here refuse to acknowledge it.
Mark J.
Also, Pope Francis did address Donald Trump’s on the eve of the inauguration:
https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/pope-francis-trump-reject-hate-discrimination-or-exclusion
“Pope Francis delivered dual messages to Donald Trump on his inauguration as president, urging him to reject ‘hatred, discrimination or exclusion’ and denouncing Trump's migrant deportation plan as a ‘disgrace.’
The pontiff delivered the back-to-back messages on Jan. 19 and Jan. 20.
The pope's brief remarks came in a Sunday night Italian television interview on the eve of Trump's inauguration for another term as president of the United States where he has vowed to evict millions of immigrants from the country.
‘If it is true, it will be a disgrace, because it makes the poor wretches who have nothing pay the bill for the inequalities," said the pope of Trump's plans for widespread deportation. 'It won't do.’
Francis — who has become one of the most vocal global champions of migrants since his election as pontiff in 2013 — described the incoming president's plans as ‘not the way to solve things.'
In a message delivered hours before Trump took the oath of office, Francis said, 'Inspired by your nation's ideals of being a land of opportunity and welcome for all, it is my hope that under your leadership the American people will prosper and always strive to build a more just society, where there is no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion.'
Francis offered prayers for Trump's second term 'that Almighty God will grant you wisdom, strength, and protection in the exercise of your high duties,' the papal statement said."
Mark J.
Mark Thomas:
You must realize by now that TJM is a MAGA operative. Nothing Trump does can ever be questioned or faulted. I am really beginning to think that Father Kavanaugh was right—Trump could indeed shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and TJM would find a way to justify it. I am even beginning to suspect that even if Trump, like Melania, came out in full support of abortion rights, TJM would find a way to justify that too. Such is the fanaticism of True Believers.
In fact, I am not even sure TJM believes in liberal democracy. Instead, like a very significant percentage of this country, he would be happy with a Trump-led authoritarian regime in which there were no future elections. And if I am wrong about that (and I hope I am), let him deny it and reaffirm his commitment to liberal democracy and free and fair elections, including the prospect of a future Democratic president right now.
On the rejection by so many of liberal democracy in the United States, see, e.g.:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/02/new-apostolic-reformation-christian-movement-trump/681092/?utm
“At this point, tens of millions of believers—about 40 percent of American Christians, including Catholics, according to a recent Denison University survey—are embracing an alluring, charismatic movement that has little use for religious pluralism, individual rights, or constitutional democracy. It is mystical, emotional, and, in its way, wildly utopian. It is transnational, multiracial, and unapologetically political. Early leaders called it the New Apostolic Reformation, or NAR, although some of those same leaders are now engaged in a rebranding effort as the antidemocratic character of the movement has come to light.”
Mark J.
Mark,
In fact, you have drunk the silly and untethered from reality faculty lounge kool-aid, always wrong been never in doubt. Father K has no business being a Catholic priest. It is a sacrilege that a man like that is celebrating Mass while voting to send the Jews to Buchanwald, sorry, unborn millions of babies to their death.
This is the Democrat Party's idea of liberal Democracy:
The same people who… Shut down your business Yelled at your kids for not wearing masks Wouldn’t let you visit your dying parents Kicked out soldiers for refusing a vaccine Lied about the origins of Covid Tried to enact a nationwide vaccine mandate Censored us on social media Tried to create a ministry of truth Lied about Hunter Biden’s laptop Covered up Joe Biden’s dementia Stopped enforcing immigration laws Let 10M+ illegal immigrants cross the border Installed DEI commissars in every agency Raised pride flags at overseas embassies Let biological males compete in girls sports Weaponized the DOJ to attack Trump Used lawfare against Elon’s companies Wasted trillions on left-wing boondoggles Defended Biden pardoning his family Wanted to give Ukraine a blank check Tried to forgive billions in student loans Spent four years lying to us every single day …are very concerned that Donald Trump is going to abuse executive power.
You lost, get over it. Elections have consequences and most Americans are happy the liberal loons pushing perversion and wealth only for themselves and the political class while crushing working men and women lost. Move to New York City so you can enjoy the "fruits" of what you preach!
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