Archbishop calls Biden a 'cafeteria Catholic,' says he 'picks and chooses' elements of faith

Archbishop of Washington Wilton Cardinal Gregory asserted during a televised interview this week that President Joe Biden "picks and chooses" which elements of the faith to follow, calling him a "cafeteria Catholic."

During a Sunday appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," Gregory appeared alongside CBS News Correspondent Ed O'Keefe and Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of Washington.

"I would say that he's very sincere about his faith. But like a number of Catholics, he picks and chooses dimensions of the faith to highlight while ignoring or even contradicting other parts," Gregory said. "There is a phrase that we have used in the past, a 'cafeteria Catholic,' you choose that which is attractive, and dismiss that which is challenging." 

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Biden is one of two Catholics to ever serve as president of the United States, the first being John F. Kennedy. Throughout his political career, Biden has attracted criticism for supporting abortion access and other policies that critics have noted are in conflict with the church's teachings.

Gregory acknowledged that Biden reportedly attends church regularly, calling his devotion "sincere." However, Gregory said that the president often avoids discussing complex issues. 

"But he also steps aside some of the hot-button issues, or uses the hot-button issues as a political tool," he said. "Which it's not, it's not the way, I think, we would want our faith to be used."

During the 2024 State of the Union address, Biden promised to restore Roe v. Wade as "the law of the land" following the U.S. Supreme Court's reversal of the 1973 decision that made abortion a national right in June 2022. 

The president's administration has also endorsed the so-called "Women's Health Protection" Act, which would null several states' restrictions on abortion and eliminate various protections, including parental consent and notification laws. 

Both Budde and O'Keefe took the position that Biden should remain personally opposed to abortion, but as a political leader, he should not place his beliefs on others.

Budde argued that it is possible to adhere to the spectrum of life and still advocate for women to have abortions. 

When asked about Biden's communications with Pope Francis, Gregory replied that he would not be surprised if the Holy Father expressed similar concerns to the president about how he presents the Church's views on issues like abortion. 

"One of the things that I think Pope Francis does and does extraordinarily well is that he engages people," Gregory said. "He encounters people. He doesn't attack them. But he encounters them. And he invites them to respond to their better angels." 

In 2020, then-Bishop Gregory opted not to refuse communion to Biden despite his pro-choice politics, stating that he wanted to foster a relationship where "we can discover areas where we can cooperate that reflect the social teachings of the church, knowing full well that there are some areas where we won't agree." 

President Biden also faced criticism this month from prominent Christians and conservatives after he recognized the "Transgender Day of Visibility," which happened to be on the same day as Easter Sunday. The White House has previously released a statement recognizing the "Transgender Day of Visibility," including one in 2023 and another in 2022.

While the day has existed since 2009, many took issue with the Biden administration joining others in still recognizing the observance on Easter Sunday.

One of the critics of the president's proclamation, House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Baptist, called Biden's actions "abhorrent," and he declared that the administration "has betrayed the central tenet of Easter — which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ." In response to a question about Johnson criticizing him for celebrating an LGBT-themed day on Easter, Biden claimed the House speaker was "uninformed," adding, "I didn't do that."