Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist to President Donald Trump, has been publicly taken down a peg by a nun.
The impetus for the Twitter lashing was Bannon telling Charlie Rose on “60 Minutes” that the Catholic Church’s opposition to Trump’s proposed repeal of DACA was “terrible” and that “they need illegal aliens to fill the churches. That’s obvious on the face of it.”
Bannon added, “They have an economic interest in unlimited immigration, unlimited illegal immigration.”
Sr. Simone Campbell, the executive director of the National Catholic Social Justice Lobby NETWORK, had strong words for Bannon on Twitter regarding those sentiments.
A few thoughts about Steve Bannon, the #Catholic Church, and immigrants, in response to his comments circulating: https://t.co/B4bxPsrx1R 1/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
Steve Bannon, even after meeting Pope Francis, still seems unclear about Jesus’s commandment to ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ 2/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
People of faith support Dreamers & families because of this greatest commandment… it is not, as Mr. Bannon puts it, economic interest 3/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
Make no mistake: Dreamers are our neighbors and, along with their families, are #HereToStay. The Church & our nation are better for it. 4/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
The Trump Administration’s actions to rescind DACA align with the most extreme anti-immigrant, white supremacist voices in his party. 5/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
(& ICYMI) here is my statement after Tuesday's announcement: https://t.co/PQFIllWYrf 6/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
It seems to me that Mr. Bannon has forgotten that he is the son of immigrants and forgotten the teachings of his Church. 7/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
I am proud to be part of a Church whose members support, value, welcome, & protect immigrant families rather than tear them apart. 8/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
I am grateful to be part of a Church that includes MOCs like @SenatorDurbin @RepGutierrez @RepRoybalAllard + more who support immigrants. 9/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
And I am honored to work w/ @NETWORKLobby & #NunsontheBus to ensure that we do all we can to make sure immigrant rights are protected. 10/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
There is power in faith and community, with all of us working together to support the common good. 11/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
Mr. Bannon, on the other hand, seems to be caught in fear, division, and hatred. 12/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
And to the Dreamers I say, we are with you. Your home is here. We love and support you. 13/
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
Catholic Sisters & all the activists of @NETWORKLobby will be w/ you in the struggle for your protection & protection of your family. 14/14
— Sr. Simone Campbell (@sr_simone) September 7, 2017
Campbell’s position reflects the larger sentiment within the Catholic Church. After the Trump administration announced that it would phase out DACA, the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned the decision as “reprehensible” and wrote that “now, after months of anxiety and fear about their futures, these brave young people face deportation. This decision is unacceptable and does not reflect who we are as Americans.”
New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan denounced Trump’s decision on DACA, saying, “This is contrary to the spirit of the Bible and of our country, and a turning away from the ideals upon which our beloved country was founded.”
Dolan later denounced Bannon’s commentary on the Catholic Church as “a preposterous and rather insulting statement,” concluding that “that’s insulting and that’s just so ridiculous that it doesn’t merit a comment.”
Dolan added that “the Bible is so clear, so clear, that to treat the immigrant with dignity and respect, to make sure that society is just in its treatment of the immigrant is Biblical mandate.”
