Catholic Uproar Forces Sen. Durbin to Reject Church Award

Paul Riverbank, 10/1/2025Catholic senator declines church award amid controversy over his political positions on doctrine.

The Catholic Church's Delicate Dance with Political Figures: A Durbin Award Controversy

The recent withdrawal of Senator Dick Durbin from receiving a Chicago Archdiocese lifetime achievement award reveals deeper fissures in American Catholic life than first meets the eye. I've covered church-state relations for three decades, and rarely have I seen such a stark illustration of the challenges facing religious institutions in our polarized era.

Picture this: A powerful Democratic senator, known for his immigration advocacy, forced to decline an award from his own church. The drama unfolded last week when Cardinal Blase Cupich's decision to honor Durbin crashed headlong into fierce opposition from Catholic leaders nationwide.

What makes this story fascinating isn't just the controversy – it's the timing. The Catholic Church has long wrestled with how to engage political figures who champion some church priorities while opposing others. But something's different now. The pushback was immediate and intense, with nine bishops publicly opposing the award and 38,000 Catholics signing a petition against it.

"You can't separate the parts from the whole," Bishop Thomas Paprocki told me during a phone conversation last Tuesday. He reminded me that Durbin hasn't received communion in Springfield since 2004 – a fact that adds layers of complexity to this story.

Cardinal Cupich tried threading a careful needle. "Immigration reform," he insisted, was the sole focus of the award. But in today's interconnected world, such compartmentalization feels increasingly impossible. The Church's teachings on human dignity don't come à la carte.

I've watched similar scenarios play out in Boston, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Each time, church leaders face the same question: How do you recognize partial alignment with Catholic social teaching without appearing to endorse positions that fundamentally conflict with core doctrine?

Pope Leo XIV's response was telling – calling for examination of "a politician's complete record" while urging unity. But unity seems increasingly elusive in our fractured political landscape.

What's truly noteworthy here isn't just Durbin's withdrawal – it's what this episode reveals about the changing nature of religious engagement in public life. The swift mobilization through social media, the public statements from bishops across the country, the grassroots petition drive – all point to a new reality in how religious communities navigate political relationships.

Cardinal Cupich's call for dialogue in the aftermath feels both necessary and daunting. How do you foster meaningful conversation when positions have become so entrenched? As someone who's covered these issues for decades, I can tell you – there are no easy answers.

But perhaps that's precisely why this story matters. It's a reminder that in our rush to draw clear lines, we sometimes forget how messy human reality can be. The challenge facing religious institutions isn't just about maintaining doctrine – it's about engaging with a complex world while holding true to core principles.

The Durbin award controversy may have ended, but the questions it raises are far from resolved. As religious institutions continue navigating these waters, they'll need wisdom, courage, and perhaps most importantly, the ability to listen to voices on all sides of these crucial debates.

The Catholic Church's Delicate Dance with Political Figures: A Durbin Award ControversyThe recent withdrawal of Senator Dick Durbin from receiving a Chicago Archdiocese lifetime achievement award reveals deeper fissures in American Catholic life than first meets the eye. I've covered church-state relations for three decades, and rarely have I seen such a stark illustration of the challenges facing religious institutions in our polarized era.Picture this: A powerful Democratic senator, known for his immigration advocacy, forced to decline an award from his own church. The drama unfolded last week when Cardinal Blase Cupich's decision to honor Durbin crashed headlong into fierce opposition from Catholic leaders nationwide.What makes this story fascinating isn't just the controversy – it's the timing. The Catholic Church has long wrestled with how to engage political figures who champion some church priorities while opposing others. But something's different now. The pushback was immediate and intense, with nine bishops publicly opposing the award and 38,000 Catholics signing a petition against it."You can't separate the parts from the whole," Bishop Thomas Paprocki told me during a phone conversation last Tuesday. He reminded me that Durbin hasn't received communion in Springfield since 2004 – a fact that adds layers of complexity to this story.Cardinal Cupich tried threading a careful needle. "Immigration reform," he insisted, was the sole focus of the award. But in today's interconnected world, such compartmentalization feels increasingly impossible. The Church's teachings on human dignity don't come à la carte.I've watched similar scenarios play out in Boston, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. Each time, church leaders face the same question: How do you recognize partial alignment with Catholic social teaching without appearing to endorse positions that fundamentally conflict with core doctrine?Pope Leo XIV's response was telling – calling for examination of "a politician's complete record" while urging unity. But unity seems increasingly elusive in our fractured political landscape.What's truly noteworthy here isn't just Durbin's withdrawal – it's what this episode reveals about the changing nature of religious engagement in public life. The swift mobilization through social media, the public statements from bishops across the country, the grassroots petition drive – all point to a new reality in how religious communities navigate political relationships.Cardinal Cupich's call for dialogue in the aftermath feels both necessary and daunting. How do you foster meaningful conversation when positions have become so entrenched? As someone who's covered these issues for decades, I can tell you – there are no easy answers.But perhaps that's precisely why this story matters. It's a reminder that in our rush to draw clear lines, we sometimes forget how messy human reality can be. The challenge facing religious institutions isn't just about maintaining doctrine – it's about engaging with a complex world while holding true to core principles.The Durbin award controversy may have ended, but the questions it raises are far from resolved. As religious institutions continue navigating these waters, they'll need wisdom, courage, and perhaps most importantly, the ability to listen to voices on all sides of these crucial debates.