Catholic bishops say White House prayer photo with Trump was used politically

Key Points:

• Two Catholic bishops, including Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines and Bishop Grob, expressed regret and sadness over the White House's public release of photos and video from a private prayer meeting with President Trump, which occurred less than two weeks before the midterm elections.
• Both bishops stated the meeting was intended as a private discussion on topics like immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, abortion, and federal tax credits for private education, and was not meant as an endorsement of the president or his policies.
• The White House did not confirm whether the bishops consented to the publicizing of the event but defended President Trump's record on issues important to Catholic Americans.
• Bishop Grob apologized for any harm caused and acknowledged receiving concerns from people who felt hurt by the president's policies or the political implications of the meeting.
• Views among U.S. Catholic bishops on Trump and his administration vary widely, with some supporting initiatives like the Religious Liberty Commission and others criticizing policies they see as conflicting with Catholic teachings.