Sen. Durbin declines Catholic award after backlash
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) declined a planned "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Cardinal Blase Cupich and the Archdiocese of Chicago after an outcry from Catholic bishops and lay groups over Durbin’s support for abortion rights. The reversal followed an organized CatholicVote petition that amassed over 40,000 messages and signatures and public statements from at least 10 bishops; the award had been slated to be presented at the Archdiocese’s Keep Hope Alive Benefit 2025 at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago to honor Durbin’s immigration work.
Politics
Religion
🔍 Key Facts
- Sen. Dick Durbin informed Cardinal Blase Cupich he would not accept the planned 'Lifetime Achievement Award.'
- CatholicVote organized a petition/messaging campaign that grew to more than 40,000 signatures/messages urging Cupich not to honor Durbin.
- The award was to be presented at the 'Keep Hope Alive Benefit 2025' at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago; at least 10 bishops publicly objected, including Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.
📍 Contextual Background
- Medication abortion pills are the most common way abortions are accessed in the United States and contributed to an increase in abortion numbers in 2024, according to reporting.