National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

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.

President George W. Bush addresses the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., April 13, 2007.

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."[1]

History

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 the Catholic clergy, businessmen, political and religious activists.[2]

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.[2][3]

Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke delivered the keynote address at 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.[4]

The 2020 event was held virtually, and honored US Attorney General William Barr with the organization's Christifideles Laici Award.[5] The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet; and the Respect Life Office of 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.[6] Others who opposed the group's honoring Barr included representatives of Pax Christi[7] and the Franciscan Action Network. The Association of U.S. Catholic Priests "accused Barr of showing “disrespect for sacred space when he 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.”[1]

The 2021 event is set to feature Bishop Steven J. Lopes, head of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter.

References
  1. Reese S.J., Thomas J., "National Catholic Prayer Breakfast award for Barr divides Catholics", Religion News Services, September 21, 2020
  2. Gehring, John. The Francis Effect: A Radical Pope's Challenge to the American Catholic Church. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015, p. 25.
  3. President Attends National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, May 20, 2005.
  4. At Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Speaker Ryan Continues Push for Little Sisters of the Poor, Speaker Ryan Press Office, Press-release, May 17, 2016.
  5. White, Christopher. "Trump courts Catholic voters at conservative-run National Catholic Prayer Breakfast", National Catholic Register, September 23. 2020
  6. Jensen, Kurt. "Addressing virtual National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, Trump says he will sign executive order protecting babies born alive", Catholic Standard, September 23, 2020
  7. "200 Catholic leaders call for AG Barr to reject award from National Catholic Prayer Breakfast", Pax Christi, September 22, 2020
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