Real Talk with Fr. Joe

It was recently announced that Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, plans to give Senator Richard Durbin a lifetime achievement award at an upcoming Archdiocese fundraiser on November 3rd.
On the surface, that might sound like a straightforward honor—but here’s where the controversy comes in. Senator Durbin has a long and very public record of supporting abortion legislation. Over his nearly three decades in the U.S. Senate, he has consistently voted to expand and protect abortion rights—even opposing measures like the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban and the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Critics argue that this track record makes him completely unfit for any Catholic honor.
The backlash has been strong. Opponents say giving Durbin an award from the Archdiocese’s Office of Human Dignity and Solidarity is not only ironic, but scandalous. They worry it could confuse the faithful about whether the Church is serious in its opposition to abortion or whether its teaching can simply be set aside for political convenience.

A reflection on the death of Charlie Kirk and someone of the silence that the laity have been struggling with.