Bishops Pray Over Trump Days Before the Midterms
Talks also covered religious freedom, school choice, family tax credits, and life issues; USCCB had no role and Denver denied endorsement.
A group of U.S. Catholic bishops prayed over President Donald Trump in the Oval Office in a meeting that drew wide notice on October 23, days before the November midterm elections. They asked God’s blessing on the president, on the nation, and for protection from evil.
Among those present were Archbishop Jeffrey Grob, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann, and Bishops Edward Burns, James Wall, Michael Barber, William Joensen, and Thomas Hennen, together with bishops from various Eastern Catholic rites. President Trump called the encounter “a great meeting,” saying it focused mostly on prayer. Videos of the moment circulated widely.
Freedom, Family, and Life on the Table
Alongside the prayer, the discussion turned to religious freedom, school choice, family tax credits, visas for religious workers, and the defense of human life. White House Faith Director Jenny Korn pointed to the administration’s ongoing engagement with faith leaders.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops stated that it had no role in organizing the meeting. The Archdiocese of Denver emphasized that the gathering was not an endorsement of any candidate or party. Praying for public officials, the archdiocese recalled, is a longstanding Catholic practice—an act of intercession for those who bear civil authority, not a campaign seal of approval.
Witness, Timing, and Mixed Reactions
The images drew mixed reactions among Catholics. Some welcomed a public witness of bishops entrusting the nation’s chief executive to God so close to a national vote. Others, including some Catholic commentators, argued that the timing and optics appeared partisan.
That tension does not erase the Church’s ancient duty. From the apostolic age the faithful have been urged to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings” for kings and all in high positions, “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life” (1 Tim 2:1-2). The Denver clarification sought to keep that pastoral obligation distinct from electoral alignment.
Whether the Oval Office prayer deepens concrete cooperation on religious liberty, the family, and the unborn—or remains a flashpoint in a polarized season—will be tested in the weeks after Americans cast their ballots. For a practicing Catholic people, the measure remains the same: fidelity to the Gospel, defense of life and religious freedom, and persevering prayer for every person entrusted with public office.