According to Cardinal Blase Cupich, pro-abortion Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois has declined an award that was to be presented to him by the archdiocese in early November.

Cupich released a statement on Sept. 30:

Senator Durbin today informed me that he has decided not to receive an award at our Keep Hope Alive celebration. While I am saddened by this news, I respect his decision. But I want to make clear that the decision to present him an award was specifically in recognition of his singular contribution to immigration reform and his unwavering support of immigrants, which is so needed in our day.

Yet, I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to share some additional thoughts, which I offer as your pastor….

(Click here if you wish to read the statement in its entirety.)

Meanwhile, Pope Leo was asked about the controversy and tried to remain “neutral,” saying:

‘I understand the difficulty and the tensions. But I think as I myself have spoken in the past, it’s important to look at many issues that are related to the teachings of the Church.’

‘Someone who says I’m against abortion but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life,’ the pope explained. ‘Someone who says I’m against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.’

‘So they are very complex issues and I don’t know if anyone has all the truth on them,’ he continued, ‘but I would ask first and foremost that they would have respect for one another and that we search together both as human beings and in that case as American citizens and citizens of the state of Illinois, as well as Catholics, to say that we need to be close to all of these ethical issues. And to find the way forward as a Church. The Church teaching on each one of those issues is very clear.’

I would have liked to see Leo side with the bishops who publicly corrected Cupich, but there was no way he was going to publicly throw Cupich under the bus.

The "seamless garment" debate aside (which has been going on for many years), the bishops as a whole could easily avoid this type of controversy by not giving an award to any politician for any reason.