Pope Defends Pro-Choice Senator's Award, Sparking Catholic Church Showdown

Paul Riverbank, 10/1/2025Pope sparks controversy by defending award to pro-choice senator, highlighting Catholic Church's political divide.

The Catholic Church's Latest Political Tangle: More Than Just Another Awards Controversy

A simple awards ceremony has erupted into a revealing snapshot of American Catholicism's deepening political fault lines. The spark? Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich's decision to honor Senator Dick Durbin – and the ensuing fallout tells us more about the church's internal struggles than any theological treatise could.

I've watched these church-state dramas unfold for decades, but this one's different. When Cupich announced plans to give Durbin a lifetime achievement award for his immigration work, he couldn't have missed the incoming storm. The Illinois Democrat's pro-choice voting record was always going to be a lightning rod.

The pushback was swift, yet fascinating in its complexity. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield didn't just object – he warned of "great scandal," wielding language that echoes through centuries of church history. Meanwhile, CatholicVote marshaled 20,000 signatures against the award, showing how quickly modern Catholic activism can mobilize.

But here's where it gets interesting: Pope Leo XIV, Chicago's own son, didn't take the easy path. His nuanced response – considering Durbin's "40 years of service" in totality – reveals a pontiff willing to wade into American political waters with surprising subtlety. When he challenged simplistic pro-life definitions by linking abortion opposition with death penalty stance, he wasn't just making a point – he was reframing the entire debate.

Durbin's ultimate decision to decline the award (announced as he heads toward retirement in 2026) might look like a clean resolution. It's not. Cardinal Cupich's frank admission about the impossibility of finding Catholic politicians who perfectly align with church teaching exposes a deeper truth: American Catholicism is wrestling with how to engage a political system that increasingly demands stark either/or choices.

What's unfolding in Chicago isn't really about an award. It's about an American Catholic Church trying to navigate between doctrinal purity and practical engagement, between moral absolutes and messy reality. The drama playing out now will echo far beyond this particular controversy, shaping how the church approaches political engagement for years to come.

For this veteran observer, one thing's clear: The old playbook for Catholic political engagement is being rewritten, whether traditionalists like it or not. The question isn't whether change is coming – it's what form it will take.

The Catholic Church's Latest Political Tangle: More Than Just Another Awards ControversyA simple awards ceremony has erupted into a revealing snapshot of American Catholicism's deepening political fault lines. The spark? Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich's decision to honor Senator Dick Durbin – and the ensuing fallout tells us more about the church's internal struggles than any theological treatise could.I've watched these church-state dramas unfold for decades, but this one's different. When Cupich announced plans to give Durbin a lifetime achievement award for his immigration work, he couldn't have missed the incoming storm. The Illinois Democrat's pro-choice voting record was always going to be a lightning rod.The pushback was swift, yet fascinating in its complexity. Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield didn't just object – he warned of "great scandal," wielding language that echoes through centuries of church history. Meanwhile, CatholicVote marshaled 20,000 signatures against the award, showing how quickly modern Catholic activism can mobilize.But here's where it gets interesting: Pope Leo XIV, Chicago's own son, didn't take the easy path. His nuanced response – considering Durbin's "40 years of service" in totality – reveals a pontiff willing to wade into American political waters with surprising subtlety. When he challenged simplistic pro-life definitions by linking abortion opposition with death penalty stance, he wasn't just making a point – he was reframing the entire debate.Durbin's ultimate decision to decline the award (announced as he heads toward retirement in 2026) might look like a clean resolution. It's not. Cardinal Cupich's frank admission about the impossibility of finding Catholic politicians who perfectly align with church teaching exposes a deeper truth: American Catholicism is wrestling with how to engage a political system that increasingly demands stark either/or choices.What's unfolding in Chicago isn't really about an award. It's about an American Catholic Church trying to navigate between doctrinal purity and practical engagement, between moral absolutes and messy reality. The drama playing out now will echo far beyond this particular controversy, shaping how the church approaches political engagement for years to come.For this veteran observer, one thing's clear: The old playbook for Catholic political engagement is being rewritten, whether traditionalists like it or not. The question isn't whether change is coming – it's what form it will take.