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- The Bishops Admitted that Trump Used Them. That Takes Guts.
The Bishops Admitted that Trump Used Them. That Takes Guts.
Last updated on: October 28, 2026 at 11:49 am by Rebecca Hamilton
The Bishops Admitted that Trump Used Them. That Takes Guts. 2026-10-28T11:49:23-06:00 Rebecca Hamilton
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.
Trump, Official Photo. Source White House.
I wrote a post on Monday in which I described the humiliating treatment a group of Catholic bishops received at the hands of the Heritage Foundation and Donald Trump.
To put it in plain terms, the bishops got treated the way American people have been treated. They were lied to and manipulated by someone they trusted, then bent over and violated for his own personal gain by Donald Trump.
A man name Mario Enzler, who is evidently affiliated with the Heritage Foundation, set up this meeting. Enzler is described by the Trump regime as their “Catholic liaison with the bishops.” He vaingloriously describes himself as “a saint in training.”
I am guessing that the bishops were foolish enough to trust the Heritage Foundation connection. Personally, I have a low opinion of any organization that would create Project 2025. I also believe that everyone connected with the Trump administration is a manipulative liar who does not care what happens to this country and its people.
Politicians sometimes use the phrase “in the barrel” as shorthand for “shooting fish in a barrel.” When someone’s “in the barrel,” they’re in a situation where they’re the target and they can’t fight back.
That’s what happened to the bishops. Enzler invited them to a meeting with the prez, with what turned out to be a flat-out misrepresentation of the actual plan. He told them they would have a private conversation about issues they hold dear, and maybe also have an opportunity to pray — in private — with Trump. He put them in the barrel.
What happened is they were ushered into the Oval Office, Trump handed them some trinkets, then they were told to stand behind Trump and pray, and then they were ushered back out again. There was no conversation.
They didn’t know they were being filmed, and they did not give consent for photos to be published. Immediately afterwards, the White House posted photos of the bishops standing behind Trump and praying alongside White House language that made it seem that the bishops had endorsed Trump.
The bishops overlooked several things when they accepted this invitation.
First, Trump lies about everything, all the time.
Second, Trump has a lifelong history of using people without concern for what happens to them.
Third, Trump does not appear to have a conscience.
Fourth, Trump’s operatives are just like him.
If Trump’s White House says that someone is their “liaison,” I think it’s more than likely that this person is Trump’s amoral, sociopathic operative. I wouldn’t trust that person.
It’s a tricky situation when We the People have made the mistake of handing our government over to people like that. We need to deal with them. But we can’t deal with them. Anytime any of us deals with that kind of person, we’re going to be lied to, manipulated and used.
I believe that the Trump regime is satanic. I know that I’m not holy enough and I’m not smart enough to deal directly with people who are as completely under satanic influence as these people are. I’m also not holy enough and smart enough to deal with a master manipulator like Trump.
I believe that Trump is stupid and incompetent about everything but one thing, and that one thing is how to manipulate people and use them. He is a world class master at doing that.
Which is why I was so aggravated with the bishops for falling into Trump’s trap. It frustrates me no end that people can’t see what is so plain and obvious.
Then I go back and remind myself of two things. First, I remember my own oblivious sinfulness that was forgiven. Second, I remind myself that other people haven’t had my life experiences. The truth is, I didn’t diagnose Trump. I recognized him. Because I’d seen people like him before.
Which leads me to the purpose of this blog post.
I was soooo aggravated and disgusted with the bishops for allowing themselves to be made into Trump’s fools. I knew that a lot of gullible people will never see past the photo. It’s going to do damage.
However, I didn’t properly acknowledge that the bishops were man enough to stand up in public and say straight out that they had been lied to and manipulated and they were sorry.
Everybody makes mistakes. You, me, the guy next door and the woman down the street: We all make mistakes.
I’ve lived an entirely different life than these bishops. I’ve had evil come right straight at me several times. I can tell you, I’m no match for it.
Evil can run you down, knock you flat, then grind you into the mud. You can’t reason with it. You can’t appeal to its pity, or remorse, or compassion.
That’s why this satanic right wing is constantly preaching and teaching that empathy for other human beings is a weakness and the only righteousness is judgement and condemnation. That is satanic. It’s a direct attack on Jesus’ teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.
The devil hates empathy and compassion because they are his undoing. Satan has no compassion or empathy, and neither do his people.
I’m sure the bishops know all that. But I’m guessing that they know it from the protected vantage point of never having been run down by it.
Until now.
They got sideswiped by the evil of this world with that phony invitation to have a “private talk” with the president. They got lied to. They got used. Then they were told to get out.
But Trump didn’t count on them having the one thing that nobody else who comes around him seems to have. They had the simplicity, the humility and decency, the sense of responsibility to their positions as shepherds and representatives of the Church to tell the truth.
They didn’t try to excuse themselves. They didn’t try to lie their way out of it. They didn’t get all huffy and stomp around attacking their critics.
They confessed. Publicly. To the fact that they’d been used.
That takes guts.
It takes integrity.
I feel like these bishops are people you can trust.
There is only one way to fight evil that has become this arrogant and powerful. That one way is the Way.
You cannot defeat evil on your own. You can’t do it. But if you wrap yourself in Christ and then just trust Him and do the next right thing and keep on doing the next right thing, He will get you through.
I know this.
I know it.
I have had the experience of evil almost destroying me. I have run away from evil. And I have been blessed to have Christ walk me through evil and get me to the other side.
This bishops trusted all the wrong people, and they got snapped. But they weren’t destroyed by it.
Because they did the one hard thing that destroys lies. They told the truth. They admitted the embarrassing truth that they got had by a bunch of psychopaths.
I was really disgusted when I wrote that post on Monday. I owe these bishops an apology. I respect their integrity of purpose. I admire their strength of character that led them to simply confess that they had made a mistake and apologize. I’m grateful to them for doing it.
Because they did this, I think they are trustworthy leaders I can follow. Not because they got it right. Because they admitted it and apologized when they got it wrong.
That takes guts. It takes integrity. It shows a genuine commitment to live up to the responsibilities of their office.
I apologize for being such a gritch about all this in my post on Monday. What I want to say to these bishops — what I should have said — is Thank You.
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