When John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic U.S. president in 1960, he faced many questions about his faith. Would the young Kennedy be able to put the nation’s concerns before that of the Church? Would he respect the separation of Church and State? Would Kennedy secretly be taking orders from the Pope?
It seems almost laughable now to think of the Vatican having such influence in the White House. But at a time when anti-Catholic prejudice was still strong in elite institutions and popular culture, these were serious electoral concerns that Kennedy had to overcome.
Fast forward to 2020 with the second Catholic president, Joe Biden. From the demographics of the church to the number of Catholics who attend mass, much has changed in the U.S. Catholic church since 1960.
But the fear of Biden putting the priorities of the Vatican over that of the country seems almost non-existent. This is to the dismay of some right-wing Catholics who openly wish that President Biden was more obedient to the church in matters of state.
Yet, if ever Biden needed to take orders from the Pope, it would be now on the issue of the war in Gaza. Pope Francis has continuously called for a permanent ceasefire, as opposed to a temporary truce advocated by the U.S. in negotiations.
As Israeli bombs continue to fall on Gaza and Israeli settlers and armed forces increase their violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, it has never been more urgent for an American president to bring the policy of his administration in line with the Vatican’s call for peace.
While many have noted how Biden and church teachings stray on domestic issues, little has been said about how Biden’s Catholicism might influence his views on foreign policy. The gap between Biden and his church on the war in Gaza has been remarkable since the latest round of fighting began after Hamas’ terror attacks of October 7th.
As the scale of Hamas’ attack became clear, President Biden was quick to embrace Israel and sign off on its military response, which has been estimated to have killed over 30,000 Palestinians– testing the limits of ‘just war.’ Most dramatically, the United States has vetoed three different UN resolutions calling for a ceasefire and the release of Hamas-held Israeli hostages.
The conflict also seems to be quickly expanding outside of Gaza.
In sharp contrast, Pope Francis was an early advocate for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire.”
Francis, who has been monitoring the situation closely, has repeatedly warned of the great suffering occurring in Gaza. “I encourage all parties involved to resume negotiations,” he has said.
He also renewed an appeal for the immediate release of all Israeli hostages. “Please,” he concluded, “no to weapons, yes to peace.”
Pope Francis has also stressed the need for immediate humanitarian aid and warned about the violence in Gaza spreading throughout the region. Historically, the Vatican has pushed for a two-state solution and currently has diplomatic relations with both Palestine and Israel.
Pope Francis’ stance is no doubt influenced by the enormous suffering of Palestinian Catholics and Christians under Israeli bombardment. During the Advent season, there were reports of more than 600 people sheltering in the Holy Family Catholic parish in Gaza, including a significant percentage of Gaza’s small Christian minority. Francis was said to be in daily contact with this parish.
During the first month of the war, elsewhere in Gaza, an IDF airstrike targeted an Orthodox Christian Church, killing several civilians. In Jerusalem, the Armenian Christian quarter came under intense pressure from armed Israeli extremists, and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem has expressed grave concern for Christian holy places under Israel’s far-right government.
The suffering of Palestinian Christians throughout this conflict is so severe that the Christian community of Bethlehem canceled Christmas celebrations. Given the scale of Palestinian Christian suffering in the Holy Land, it is disappointing to see America’s second Catholic president fail to demonstrate greater concern for his fellow Christians living in the land of Jesus.
Although Biden and Francis talked via phone on October 22nd, 2023, it seems to have not moved Biden to firmly call for a ceasefire. Continuing unrestricted aid to Israel and only calling for a temporary truce does not move the region closer to a place of peace.
Last month, at the end of Mass, a man in my parish came up to make a plea to the audience in attendance: no matter where you stand on this conflict, Christians in the Holy Land are dying quickly and have been unable to work for four months. He asked the congregation to pray for peace and support artwork and Holy items from the Holy Land. He called on our parish to be peacemakers.
As Lent begins and Easter sits on the horizon, one wishes the Holy Spirit would inspire President Biden to push definitively for a permanent ceasefire and pathway to peace in the Holy Land. As Catholics, it should strike us as profoundly unsettling that a celebration of Christmas occurred at the White House this year but not in Bethlehem, where Jesus first came into this world.
Where would Jesus be found today– the halls of power in Washington or hiding in Rafah, unsure of his fate? Can we hold the nuance of the situation without forgetting to act as our faith compels us to do? Given all that has unfolded, Bethlehem might be a better place if our Catholic president truly took orders from Rome.
Melissa Cedillo is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and Loyola Marymount University. Her writings have appeared in the National Catholic Reporter, Dallas Morning News, Sojourners, and US Catholic Magazine. She has spent time in the West Bank studying the role of religion in peace and conflict.
