We’ve all seen the video by now. On October 22, nearly a dozen U.S. bishops, joined by White House spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain, were praying over President Donald Trump in the Oval Office. Denver Archbishop James Golka placed his hand on the president’s shoulder and led a prayer of thanksgiving. Within hours, the 27-second video of the encounter was circulating on social media, shared by a White House communications adviser and the president’s campaign account.
These bishops found themselves at the center of a political photo stunt, twelve days before midterm elections, whether they intended to or not.
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The backlash was immediate and fierce. Since then, the responses by a few of the participating bishops have been revealing. What might have been a useful campaign image for Trump’s party has somewhat devolved into a story about bishops accusing the White House of misleading them.
In more normal times, bishops meeting with the president should not have been a noteworthy event. In fact, according to the statements made by Archbishops James Golka of Denver and Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee, a similar event was held in June, and it seems that it was not reported in the press.
I worked at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for seven years and have covered the bishops for another nine. There is nothing unusual or improper about bishops meeting with political leaders, even those with whom they have profound disagreements. In 2015, Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Archbishop Joseph Kurtz met privately with President Obama and Vice President Biden. In March 2024, President Joe Biden hosted a St. Patrick’s Day brunch for the Prime Minister of Ireland and a group of U.S. Catholic leaders, including bishops. Pope Leo XIV received Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio last year.
The scandal on October 22 was the image. It was a familiar Oval Office tableau, with the president seated in the center with his head lowered and hands folded on the desk, surrounded by religious leaders, hands extended over him in prayer, his faith advisor Paula White-Cain standing to his left. It took place on the president’s turf, at the height of an election campaign. The administration has staged similar scenes with evangelical leaders before. But it is highly unusual for Catholic leaders, and bishops in particular, to pray in this manner, especially over a politician. The impropriety should have been obvious.
Archbishop Grob apologized profusely. He explained that after a 90-minute discussion with White House officials, they were ushered into the Oval Office and “were then directed to stand behind him and pray. After which several photos were taken and we were ushered out.” Grob wrote that the bishops did not give permission for the public distribution of photos and that he was unaware a video was being taken. Grob expressed sadness over the pain caused by the video and that the bishops “would be manipulated in that way.”
In his public apology, Grob acknowledged that he had hesitated before accepting the invitation: “I did not go without reservations. I wish I had heeded them.”
Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines also acknowledged his poor judgment. He noted that he had been looking forward to praying for Trump, “that God would guide his heart and impel him to lead in a way consistent with the dignity of his office.” The bishop added, “There are many things tied to this present Administration that are blatantly at odds with our Catholic faith.” Citing Jesus’ instruction to be “shrewd as serpents and simple as doves” (Mt 10:16), Joensen wrote, “I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes.”
Both bishops recognized what went wrong, accepted their part in it, and expressed regret. At this point, apologizing and learning from the mistake are about all they can do.
Meanwhile, the White House faces questions of its own. On Monday, Religion News Service (RNS) reported that retired Archbishop Joseph Naumann’s office said the bishops had been assured that “no photographs would be made public.” A spokesperson for Bishop James Wall of Gallup told RNS that Grob’s account reflected Wall’s experience and that he too was unaware of a video.
Archbishop Golka led the prayer. In an interview afterward, he defended his decision: “I was being a Catholic priest.” Priests pray for everyone, he explained, regardless of politics.
Bishop Michael Barber of Oakland likewise defended his decision to participate, saying that “A bishop’s duty is to ‘preach the Gospel in season and out of season.’ (2 Tim 4), not to contribute to division.” He spoke fondly of his past meetings with California governor Jerry Brown and expressed gratitude for his invitation to the White House.
My feelings, like those of the bishops, are mixed. I hope the bishops pressed the Trump administration officials on their policies (such as mass deportation) that are contrary to human dignity. We don’t know everything said behind closed doors; the video certainly doesn’t tell the whole story. Some of the bishops may have gone in genuine goodwill, hoping to influence policy for the common good.
That matters when assessing the calls from some commentators for resignations and other sweeping condemnations. The bishops showed poor judgment. That does not establish that they went to endorse Trump, or that the policy meeting was a sham. Good intentions do not erase imprudence, but imprudence does not prove bad faith.
As for the blessing, it should be noted that Fiducia Supplicans teaches “when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it.” (25). Pope Leo articulated this principle more succinctly in his interview with journalist Elise Ann Allen, saying, “of course we can bless all people.” Trump is no exception. Catholics should pray that God guides him toward justice and respect for human dignity.
But context matters. In its discussion of blessings for couples in irregular situations, paragraph 39 of the declaration warns against circumstances creating confusion or scandal. That principle applies in this case as well. The blessing might have been done with good intentions, but the staging sent a misleading message.
And this is ultimately something all the participating bishops should address. It was a mistake. When a religious leader who has an obligation to refrain from partisan politics takes part in a political sideshow — intentionally or not — an explanation and apology are in order.
Archbishop Grob closed his apology with a fitting observation: “We are, as ever, a pilgrim people. And that includes bishops.”
A Catholic bishop should be able to admit that he’s taken a wrong turn.
Images: White House photos, except for the Turning Point Action prayer scene from October 2024 (bottom left of the collage).
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