Trump's letter to Catholics
By Maureen Fiedler | Oct. 10, 2016
I just finished reading Trump's "Letter to Catholic Leaders." I choked. I realize that Trump is not a very religious man -- putting it charitably -- but this letter is one that fails to speak to any but a narrow slice of Catholics about the issues that concern us.
Trump assumes that speaking with the voice of the hierarchy on issues of sexuality and reproduction he is speaking to all Catholics! Think again, Donald! The laity are often at odds with the hierarchy on these issues.
First, Trump assumes that Catholics are all anti-abortion. Read the polls, Donald! Just because the hierarchy takes a position on an issue, it does not follow that the Catholic laity agree with them. For example, a Belden Russonello poll done September 8-13 of this year shows that 60 percent of Catholic voters say that abortion can be a moral choice.
Second, Trump assumes that most Catholics side with the Little Sisters of the Poor in their lawsuit. He says he would not force them to "pay for contraceptives in their health care plan (even though they have never wanted them, never used them and never will)." Donald, this contraceptive coverage is not for the sisters! It's for their employees! And when it comes to using contraception, polls have consistently shown that Catholics of child-bearing age use it at the same rate as other groups in the population. Read the polls, Donald!
https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/trumps-letter-catholics
