Joe Biden has been criticized by Catholic bishops for officiating at a gay marriage between two White House staffers, according to Religion News Service.
Biden, the country's first Catholic vice president, reportedly secured the authority from a Washington, D.C. court to conduct the marriage of Brian Mosteller and Joe Mahshie. The ceremony was at the vice president's residence at the Naval Observatory last Monday and a photo was posted on Twitter, noted RNS.
While not mentioning Biden's name, Louisville Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, along with Bishop Richard Malone of Buffalo, New York, and Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, said in a blog post on Friday that they stood by "Pope Francis in preserving the dignity and meaning of marriage as the union of a man and a woman."
"When a prominent Catholic politician publicly and voluntarily officiates at a ceremony to solemnize the relationship of two people of the same-sex, confusion arises regarding Catholic teaching on marriage and the corresponding moral obligations of Catholics," the bishops said in the blog. "What we see is a counter witness, instead of a faithful one founded in the truth."
The bishops wrote that the "dignity" of the person, marriage and family are woven together like a fabric, and to "pull apart one is to unravel the whole fabric." They pointed to Pope Francis's visit to the United States last year to remind politicians to demand "pursuit of the common good."
"Catholic politicians in particular are called to 'a heroic commitment' on behalf of the common good and to 'recognize their grave responsibility in society to support laws shaped by these fundamental human values and oppose laws and policies that violate (them)," said the blog.
Sarah McBride, national press secretary for the Human Rights Campaign, said in an email, per USA Today, that Biden reflects the majority of Catholics "who support equality and consistently affirm the dignity and worth of LGBTQ people."
Biden came out in support for gay marriage in 2012, ahead of President Barack Obama and current Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton, according to USA Today.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.