President Biden sparked controversy when he made the sign of the cross at an abortion rights rally in Tampa.
The ancient Christian gesture is typically used for blessing or protection, but critics argued Biden was inappropriately co-opting a religious symbol to endorse abortion.
“We come back here to the state of Florida, where Ron DeSantis felt like he needed to run for president, so 15 weeks wasn’t good enough,” Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried stated as Biden made the sign. “We had to go to six weeks.”
Biden identifies as Catholic, but the church opposes abortion.
“Biden’s use of the Sign of the Cross in support of abortion is a disgusting insult towards all Christians, but especially of Catholics whom he claims as his own,” CatholicVote president Brian Burch said.
He added, “The Sign of the Cross is a sacred gesture used by believers to bless themselves, ask forgiveness, or to protect them from temptation. Instead, Biden has turned this ancient Christian practice into an endorsement of abortion extremism.”
A Michigan bishop called Biden “stupid” for disregarding church teachings, and the head of CatholicVote said Biden was insulting Christians and mocking religion.
“I don’t have any anger towards the president. I feel sorry for him. I’m not angry at him, he’s just stupid,” Bishop Robert Gruss of the Diocese of Saginaw said. “It’s not stupidity in the derogatory way, it’s stupidity in the sense of […] he doesn’t understand the Catholic faith.”
“No Catholic, regardless of their position on abortion, can support this grotesque abuse of religious piety,” Burch said. “Voters of faith need to wake up and understand what is at stake this November.”
He added, “The new abortion religion, which seeks to mock and ultimately destroy Christianity, is on the ballot.”
The Diocese of St. Petersburg, which oversees Tampa, and a spokesperson reiterated the church’s pro-life position on abortion and opposition to a Florida ballot amendment that would protect abortion access up to viability.
“Bishop Gregory Parkes consistently teaches about the Catholic Church’s position on abortion,” a spokesperson for the diocese said. “Also, Bishop Parkes and the bishops of Florida have recently issued a statement to educate people on the Catholic Church’s teaching on abortion and why they should vote no on Amendment Four.”
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops stated, “We urge all Floridians of goodwill to stand against the legalization of late-term abortion and oppose the abortion amendment. In doing so, we will not only protect the weakest, most innocent, and defenseless of human life among us, but also countless women throughout the state from the harms of abortion.”
Biden’s use of the sign of the cross divided those who felt it disrespected religion and those who support abortion rights.
