DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is doing damage control with Michigan’s Catholic community.
A video released last Thursday showing Gov. Whitmer feeding a Doritos chip to internet content creator Liz Plank has continued to rile up representatives in the Catholic church. Last Friday, the Diocese of Lansing released a statement condemning Whitmer’s actions. Other commentors online have referenced the video’s not-so-subtle sexuality.
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The statement from the Archdiocese of Detroit and Archbishop Allen Vigneron is below:
“The Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) serves as the official voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan on matters of public policy, facilitating the Church’s civil engagement with elected leaders and supporting the work of the bishops in the seven dioceses of Michigan. I am grateful that in that role, they have provided this clear and uncompromising response to the recent video featuring our governor.
“It is our responsibility as faithful citizens to participate in the political order in light of the teachings of Christ and the Church, engaging with each other and with our elected officials in a way that expresses our concerns in charity—Christian love— while upholding the inherent dignity of each person. Both St. Peter and St. Paul admonish the early Christians to pray for those in civil leadership who, by God’s providence, have become his stewards of the common good in our communities. Let us pray for our governor, that her public service would always reflect this reality, including a commitment to religious liberty and promoting a culture of respect for all faiths.”
Late on Friday, Governor Whitmer released a statement after the video received 24-hours of backlash:
“Over 25 years in public service, I would never do something to denigrate someone’s faith. I’ve used my platform to stand up for people’s right to hold and practice their personal religious beliefs. My team has spoken to the Michigan Catholic Conference. What was supposed to be a video about the importance of the CHIPS Act to Michigan jobs, has been construed as something it was never intended to be, and I apologize for that.”
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