Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, one of the main defenders of abortion in the United States, expressed feeling “overwhelmed” after what he interpreted as a gesture of support from Pope Leo XIV for his “lifetime achievement award”, granted by Cardinal Blase Cupich.
In statements reported by NBC News, Durbin assured that it was “surprising” to hear the Pope allude to his work in the Senate and downplay the criticisms. To which he commented, showing the relevance he attributed to the Pontiff’s words:
“It’s amazing to me. It’s an important moment. I didn’t expect it, I didn’t know it was going to happen”
The senator, who has been in national politics for more than four decades, insisted that he did not anticipate such an intervention and described it as a significant gesture in his career.
Rejection of the award amid the controversy
Despite the apparent satisfaction, Durbin announced that he will not accept the recognition granted by Cupich due to the strong controversy it generated. “The level of controversy surprised me,” he acknowledged. As he explained, his decision sought to avoid the Archbishop of Chicago continuing to be the target of criticisms:
“The reaction has been so negative toward the cardinal that I see no point in continuing with this”.
The announcement came after the pressure and questioning from several U.S. bishops who publicly spoke out on the suitability of the award, recalling that support for abortion constitutes an insurmountable obstacle to receiving ecclesiastical honors.
A legislative record openly opposed to life
The controversy gains strength due to the senator’s legislative profile. Since his arrival in the Senate in 1997, Durbin has systematically voted in favor of the most radical laws on abortion, including opposition to the ban on partial-birth abortion and the law that protects babies who survive a failed abortion. He also supported the attempt to codify Roe vs. Wade through the so-called “Women’s Health Protection Act”.
Read also: Dick Durbin: 40 years in the Senate and a career in service of abortion
In 2004, the bishop of his native diocese of Springfield, Thomas Paprocki, prohibited him from accessing the Holy Communion as a consequence of his record of votes contrary to the Church’s doctrine in defense of life.
A reaction that exposes the ecclesial fracture
Durbin’s reaction—between joy over what he perceived as a pontifical endorsement and the forced rejection of the award—reflects the deep fracture within the U.S. Church. While pro-life bishops reiterate that abortion is an insurmountable limit, the closeness of certain ecclesial sectors to politicians like Durbin generates scandal and confusion among the faithful.