Nine Catholics nominated to cabinet jobs in Biden administration
More than one third of the US president s incoming cabinet are his fellow Catholics
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US President Joe Biden speaks on the US Covid-19 response at the White House in Washington, DC, on Jan. 26. (Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP)
In what may be an all-time high, President Joe Biden has nominated nine Catholics to serve in his cabinet.
One of them, retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, has already been confirmed as secretary of defense.
The others nominated thus far and the departments they would head, if confirmed, are Deb Haaland, Interior; Tom Vilsack, Agriculture; Gina Raimondo, Commerce; Marty Walsh, Labor; Denis McDonough, Veterans Affairs; Jennifer Granholm, Energy; Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services; and John Kerry, presidential envoy for climate.
One of them, retired Gen. Lloyd Austin, has already been confirmed as secretary of defense.
The others nominated thus far and the departments they would head, if confirmed, are Deb Haaland, Interior; Tom Vilsack, Agriculture; Gina Raimondo, Commerce; Marty Walsh, Labor; Denis McDonough, Veterans Affairs; Jennifer Granholm, Energy; Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services; and John Kerry, presidential envoy for climate.
Kerry was the Democrats presidential nominee in 2004. During his campaign, then-Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of St. Louis said that if Kerry were to present himself to receive the Eucharist to the prelate, he would not give Communion to the former U.S. senator due to Kerry s position on abortion. Now a cardinal, the prelate had made a similar declaration on two Wisconsin politicians before leaving the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for St. Louis.
i m in for melissa harris-perry. this year he ll mark his first christmas as pope francis with a masses and a christmas address in st. peter s square. last week he sent christmas gifts to 2,000 impoverished immigrants living in shaelter near the vatican. they included prepaid phone cards and postage stamps to help the immigrants get in touch with their families. he also delivered a christmas message urging christians to treat the holiday as an occasion for humility and to serve the poor. in other words, the pope has been busy. and it s not all about christmas. on monday, pope francis shook up the vatican s important congregation of bishops which determines who will be named as the leaders of regional and local diocese around the world. he removed card nald raymond l. burke, a conservative who s been outspoken in condemning abortion and same-sex marriage and recently criticized the pope for saying the church s focus should move away from those issues. the pope replaced him with a