As I reported on Monday, a reporter asked Joe Biden about “Catholic bishops” who were “demanding that federal tax dollars not fund abortion.”

Devout Catholic Biden got agitated and said angrily, “No, they are not all doing that…nor is the Pope doing that.”

Reporter: "Catholic bishops are demanding that federal tax dollars not fund abortions."

Biden: "No they are not all doing that, nor is the Pope." pic.twitter.com/JzgXBRSZQb

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 30, 2023

Biden’s comment wasn’t true. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling on Congress in a letter to end taxpayer funding for abortions. Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia — the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Pro-Life Committee — wrote in that letter that “government should never fund the destruction of innocent preborn children” and that “congressional action is required.”

“Protecting taxpayers from being forced to pay for abortion in violation of their conscience is a principle that has enjoyed historically broad support among Americans, regardless of their otherwise passionately divided views on the topic. It has also been life-saving,” wrote Diocese of Arlington’s Bishop Michael Burbidge, head of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

Once upon a time, Biden supported that fervently. Until he had to run for president and in 2019, then he switched his position to play to the liberal Democratic base.

But in addition to lying about the position of the Catholic bishops, many Catholics were upset that Biden suggested that Pope Francis wouldn’t be against federal funding for abortion. So let’s be clear about something: Pope Francis may have what I would term “liberal” positions on some issues, but there’s one thing that he has never been unclear about — that he believes abortion is very wrong. Indeed he compared abortion to “hiring a hitman” and said humans should “leave killing to animals.” He also previously made an intriguing statement last year about Biden’s claims to be a devout Catholic and that conflicting with what he should believe as a Catholic, “I leave it to [Biden’s] conscience and that he speaks to his bishop, his pastor, his parish priest about that incoherence.” Even the Pope gets Biden has “incoherence.”

Bishop Joseph Strickland, of the diocese of Tyler, Texas, blasted Joe Biden for trying to use the Pope to justify his actions. He didn’t mince any words in ripping apart Biden.

Mr Biden can’t be allowed to twist the words of Pope Francis in this way. I implore the Vatican press office to emphatically clarify that Pope Francis rightly calls abortion murder. It is time to denounce Biden’s fake Catholicism. https://t.co/RBEbWmczsl

— Bishop J. Strickland (@Bishopoftyler) January 31, 2023

“Mr. Biden can’t be allowed to twist the words of Pope Francis in this way,” wrote Bishop Strickland. “I implore the Vatican press office to emphatically clarify that Pope Francis rightly calls abortion murder. It is time to denounce Biden’s fake Catholicism.”

Now, it’s good that the Bishop spoke up. We’ll have to see if anything comes from the Vatican. Pope Francis is often woefully silent when it seems he should speak. But when his position is being misrepresented, particularly on something he regards as a great evil, perhaps he will weigh in.

But it’s despicable for Biden, particularly as a Catholic, to have made such a statement about the Pope, knowing full well his position and that of the Church. That’s the problem with Biden in general, he cannot stand to be challenged and his lies are continuing to get us into international difficulties.