The Denver archbishop who led a prayer over President Donald Trump in the Oval Office is now scrambling to explain himself.
Archbishop James Golka told the Denver Catholic, the archdiocese's own newspaper, on Friday that the White House's video of the Oct. 22 prayer was never meant as an endorsement, even as he defended being there and turned his fire on critics.
"I understand that many people saw the video, posted by the Administration twelve days before an election, as an endorsement," Golka said. "That was never my intention."
The invitation came months ago, according to the archbishop, following a June session in which faith leaders pressed the administration on immigration, religious freedom and visas for religious workers. He said progress made by task forces after that meeting encouraged him to accept, even though he knew the meeting "could be shared and some might use it for political purposes."
Golka said he learned only shortly before the visit that he would be the one praying over Trump. The bishops first spent three hours with the White House Faith Office discussing religious worker visas, protection of life, religious freedom and school choice.
"I've had a lot of people, really good friends, ask me, 'What were you doing?' 'Why did you do that?' I just answer, 'I was being a Catholic priest,'" he said.
The archbishop then pointed outward. "I'm heartbroken that people are hurt, and that there are people intentionally using this moment to sow disunity. That's not a fruit of the Spirit," he said, urging Catholics to look past headlines he described as "often crafted to provoke."
The fallout has reached Rome. Catholic commentator Christopher Hale reported in his Letters from Leo newsletter that a senior official at the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops called it "a highly inappropriate meeting and insult to Pope Leo."
Hale wrote that Golka's account stops short of an apology and never mentions Paula White-Cain, the televangelist and White House Faith Office adviser who stood behind Trump's chair as the bishops laid hands on him. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has said it neither organized the meeting nor has any affiliation with it.
Golka closed with a pledge. "This work helps only if the Church carries the same message to leaders of both parties. We will," he said.