The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast is an annual lay prayer event and banquet that takes place in Washington, D.C. It was created in response to Pope John Paul II 's call for a new evangelization, and involves a keynote speaker each year.
17-561: According to progressive Catholic commentator Fr Thomas J. Reese SJ "The conservative tilt of the NCPB has led some Catholics to call on it to change its name to the National Republican Prayer Breakfast." It was established in 2004 and its "founding circle" members included Joseph Cella , Leonard Leo , and Rick Santorum , among others. It connected prominent Catholic politicians and representatives of
34-606: A "lesser of two evils" in reducing the number of abortions. He also argued that the prohibition of artificial contraception in Humanae vitae was a 'mistake' and that a majority of American Catholics ignore it. He said that arguing that contraception led "to conjugal infidelity, disrespect for women, gender confusion, and gay marriage" is "an insult to all the good people who have used contraceptives at some point in their lives." Cardinal Timothy Dolan expressed his "serious reservations" to Reese's proposed strategy, "considering it
51-531: A capitulation to the abortion culture, and a grave weakening of the powerful pro-life witness." In a 2021 column, Reese outlined several liturgical reforms he would like to see, and criticized the Tridentine Mass as well as Pope Benedict's 2007 document Summorum Pontificum which gave priest the option to celebrate the Latin Mass without their bishop's permission. Reese said that the authority over
68-504: Is an American Catholic Jesuit priest , author, and journalist. He is a senior analyst at Religion News Service , a former columnist at National Catholic Reporter , and a former editor-in-chief of the weekly Catholic magazine America . He was an associate editor of America from 1978 to 1985, where he wrote about a variety of topics including public policy, politics, the American Catholic bishops, and dance. He
85-615: The Archdiocese of Santa Fe were among a number of Catholic organizations protesting the award to Barr, who reinstated the federal death penalty. A federal execution was conducted the day before the breakfast, and another scheduled on the day after. Others who opposed the group's honoring Barr included representatives of Pax Christi and the Franciscan Action Network . The Association of U.S. Catholic Priests "accused Barr of showing “disrespect for sacred space when he
102-554: The Catholic Church . Founded in 1911, it has over 600 member organizations and reaches over 26 million people. Its stated purpose is to assist its members to serve effectively, through the medium of the printed word and electronic media, the social, intellectual and spiritual needs of the entire human family, and to spread and support the Kingdom of God. The organization administers an annual book awards program. In 2010,
119-429: The anti-abortion movement "should strongly support programs that give women a real choice — increasing the minimum wage, free or affordable day care for working and student moms, free or affordable health care for mothers and their children, parental leave programs, education and job-training programs, income and food supplements, etc." It "also has to support birth control as a means of avoiding unwanted pregnancies" as
136-523: The 2009 prayer breakfast, which also featured Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia as guest speaker. House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke at the 2016 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast event. The 2020 event was held virtually, and honored US Attorney General William Barr with the organization's Christifideles Laici Award. The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet ; and the Respect Life Office of
153-462: The Catholic clergy, businessmen, political and religious activists. Similar to the more established National Prayer Breakfast , it has attracted notable political speakers to discuss the issues of the day facing modern Christians. It featured President George W. Bush as a keynote speaker in the 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 assemblies. Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke delivered the keynote address at
170-639: The Jesuit novitiate in 1962, he was comfortable with the Catholic Church of the 1950's in which he was raised. His political science training and his disillusionment with the Vietnam War made him more politically progressive. The Second Vatican Council made him more theologically progressive with a greater understanding of the liturgy, the role of the church in the world, social justice, ecumenism and interreligious relations. In 2018, he argued that
187-763: The Vatican to resign from America in 2005. He subsequently spent a sabbatical year at Santa Clara University , where he continued to contribute during the summers of 2010 to 2020 as a visiting scholar at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics . In 2006 he returned as a fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center in Washington, D.C. Reese wrote for the National Catholic Reporter from 2013 to 2017, and
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#1732779959397204-480: The social justice teachings of the church, opposed the 2003 invasion of Iraq , reported on Catholic Church sexual abuse cases , and encouraged discussion of issues facing the church. While he was editor, the magazine won awards from the Catholic Press Association . As editor of a journal of opinion, he published a variety of authors, some critical of Vatican positions. He was forced by
221-506: The use of the Tridentine Mass should be returned to the bishops in their dioceses. "The church needs to be clear that it wants the unreformed liturgy to disappear and will only allow it out of pastoral kindness to older people who do not understand the need for change," he wrote. "Children and young people should not be allowed to attend such Masses." The article drew strong backlash from Traditionalist Catholics , who said that Reese
238-563: Was a senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center from 1985 to 1998, where he wrote a trilogy on the politics and organization of the Catholic Church . He was also a visiting fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars from 1994 to 1995 He returned to America as editor-in-chief from 1998 to 2005. During his tenure as editor, the magazine supported the consistent ethic of life as espoused by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin , supported
255-525: Was being hypocritical and encouraging authoritarianism to deal with people he disagrees with. On NCR, Reese has asserted that climate change is the "No. 1 pro-life issue" facing the Catholic Church today. Catholic Press Association The Catholic Media Association , formerly the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada , is an association of American and Canadian newspaper and media specialists specialized on reporting on
272-653: Was party to a recent show of force to enable the President to use the grounds and building of an Episcopal Church in Lafayette Square to hold up a bible in front of the church as a prop for a political photo op.” The 2021 event is set to feature Bishop Steven J. Lopes , head of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter . Thomas J. Reese Thomas J. Reese , SJ (born 1945)
289-412: Was senior analyst there. In 2017, he became senior analyst at Religion News Service . He was appointed to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2014 and in 2016 was elected chair of the commission. His term as commissioner expired at the end of May 2018. As a high school student and young seminarian, Reese was a Goldwater Republican, and when he entered
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