2026年10月26日 美国东部时间上午8:14 / CBS/美联社
两名天主教主教对同意参加一场白宫会面表示遗憾，此次会面产生了一张公开分发的他们与特朗普总统一同祈祷的照片。
密尔沃基大主教杰弗里·格罗布在题为“公开道歉”的声明中表示，他周日收到了大量关于此次会面的询问和评论——其中一些情绪激动——此次会面于周四举行，他和其他11位主教出席了会议。
他说，此次会面被白宫在未经与会者同意的情况下迅速通过照片和视频进行了公开，而当时距离中期选举不到两周时间。
“我深感悲痛，不仅因为我造成的痛苦，也因为对一群宗教领袖而言如此神圣的事——向我们的天父祈祷——竟以这种方式被操控，”格罗布说道。
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无日期拍摄的密尔沃基大主教杰弗里·格罗布照片。密尔沃基总教区
爱荷华州得梅因主教威廉·约恩森也发表声明，明确表示他认为白宫利用了主教们。
“我希望自己能更精明，不那么天真，就像那些利用我们的会面谋取党派政治目的的人一样，”他写道。“我祈祷今后自己能更审慎、更明智，同时我依然坚定不移地愿意与各级政治领导人交往并为他们祈祷。”
当被问及白宫是否已征得主教们同意发布照片和视频时，新闻办公室拒绝回答。相反，白宫发言人泰勒·罗杰斯回应道：“对于美国天主教徒而言，从来没有一位比特朗普总统更出色的总统，他的出色政绩证明了这一点。”
据约恩森和格罗布透露，白宫于9月向主教们发出邀请，提议讨论移民执法、宗教工作者签证、堕胎以及利用联邦税收抵款支持私立教育等议题。
“此次会面绝不代表对总统、其政策或其政党的支持，”格罗布写道。“我们被告知此次会面是私人讨论，内阁中的几位天主教成员可能会出席，还可能有机会与总统私下祈祷。”
“此后不久，白宫就发布了祈祷环节的视频和照片，”格罗布表示。
“我很快开始收到关于我可能在全国选举前不到两周时间里无意中参与政治活动的严重担忧信息，”他补充道。“我也收到了一些人的反馈，他们表示因为总统政策对他们或其家人造成的伤害而感到痛苦。
“……我们是怀着善意前来，努力为同胞谋福祉，减轻他们的痛苦，促进共同利益，并与总统祈祷，而不是为少数人谋取利益而在政治拍照机会中摆姿势。白宫本不该将我们置于那样的境地。
“我并非毫无保留地前往，我希望自己当时能听从这些顾虑，”格罗布总结道。“请知道我已听到这些关切，明白我为何造成了这些问题，并为我的行为造成的任何损害道歉。”
美国天主教主教团成员整体上对特朗普及其政府的政策持有不同观点。例如，驻明尼苏达州的主教罗伯特·巴伦同意在他的宗教自由委员会任职，该委员会几乎完全由保守派基督徒组成。其他一些主教强烈谴责特朗普在移民执法问题上的强硬立场，称其违背天主教教义。
Bishops lament White House meeting that produced photo with Trump, say session was “manipulated” and “exploited”
October 26, 2026 / 8:14 AM EDT / CBS/AP
Two Catholic bishops have expressed regret about agreeing to a White House meeting that produced a publicly distributed photo of them praying with President Trump.
Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob, in a statement titled “A Public Apology,” said Sunday that he had received many questions and comments — some of them distraught — about the meeting on Thursday that he and 11 other bishops attended.
He said the meeting was speedily publicized by the White House with photos and a video without consent of the participants, less than two weeks away from the midterm elections.
“I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way,” Grob said.
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Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob in an undated photo. Milwaukee Archdiocese
The bishop of Des Moines, Iowa, William Joensen, also issued a statement making clear he felt the White House had taken advantage of the bishops.
“I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purpose,” he wrote. “I pray I am more prudent and wise going forward, even as I remain resolute in my openness to engaging and praying for political leaders at all levels.”
Asked whether the White House had received the bishops’ consent for releasing the photos and video, the press office declined to answer. Instead, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers replied, “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it.”
The White House invitation to the bishops, extended in September, offered discussion about such issues as immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, abortion and the use of federal tax credits to support private education, according to Joensen and Grob.
“The meeting was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party,” wrote Grob. “We were told the meeting was to be a private discussion, that several Catholic members of the Cabinet might make an appearance, and that there could be an opportunity to pray privately with the president.”
“It did not take long thereafter for the White House to post a video and photos of the prayer,” Grob said.
“I soon began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that I had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election,” he added. “I also heard from some who felt wounded because of the ways they or their family had been harmed by the president’s policies.
” … We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few. We should never have been put in that position by the White House.
“I did not go without reservations. I wish I had heeded them,” Grob concluded. “Please know that I have heard these concerns, understand how I caused them, and I apologize for any damage my actions have done.”
Collectively, members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops have diverse views on Mr. Trump and his administration’s policies. Minnesota-based Bishop Robert Barron, for example, agreed to serve on his Religious Liberty Commission, which was filled almost entirely with conservative Christians. Some other bishops vehemently denounced aspects of Mr. Trump’s tough stance on immigration enforcement, saying it runs counter to Catholic teaching.
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