TO THE EDITOR:
Throughout history, God has used many different types of people to deliver His message. Not all of them were good people. Even among the chosen twelve, Thomas doubted Jesus, Peter denied Him, and two Apostles vied for heavenly position at the expense of the others. All but one abandoned Him at His time of greatest need. Yet, all became saints, not because of their indiscretions, but in spite of them.
Recently, President Trump was roundly chastised for his visit to the Shrine of St. Pope John Paul II in Washington, D.C., the place he chose to announce his Executive Order protecting religious minorities. That chastisement, issued by an Archbishop, appears to be misplaced.
There is no place for secular politics within the framework of the Catholic Church. The actions of elected officials, not their character, is what should be judged. Despite the lack of popularity of President Trump, and his Executive Order, as well as his visit to the National Shrine, he should be applauded.
In addition to this EO, President Trump agrees with a fundamental truth of the Catholic Church and has proven to be an influential voice in delivering that truth, namely, that life begins at the moment of conception. As the only president in history to attend the March for Life, Trump has openly aligned himself with the cause of the pro-life community. Additionally, President Trump has appointed pro-life justices to the US Supreme Court and many federal district courts. He has also stripped federal funding to over 900 facilities that perform abortions, and he supports the total defunding of Planned Parenthood.
Without question, President Trump is a flawed man as are we all. But history has shown that God uses flawed men for the accomplishment of important tasks, even if the chosen instrument doesn’t realize it. While President Trump may never be a candidate for sainthood, he deserves a bit of credit from all Catholics across the globe for taking these positions.
Paul F. Caranci, North Providence
