Chicago cardinal sparks controversy by honoring abortion-access donor at gala for future priests

A prominent Catholic cardinal is facing backlash over plans to honor a wealthy Democratic donor who gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations supporting abortion access at a fundraising gala benefiting the education of future priests.

Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich is scheduled to recognize billionaire Michael Sacks at the Oct. 29 Rerum Novarum Awards Dinner benefiting Mundelein Seminary, according to the event's announcement.

Between 2020 and 2022, the Sacks Family Foundation, of which Sacks is president and treasurer, reportedly contributed grants totaling $500,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois, raising questions about the recognition in light of the Catholic Church's longstanding opposition to abortion.

According to a report from Crain’s Chicago Business on Sept. 29, Sacks and his wife, Cari, gave $600,000 to the Prairie State Access Fund, an initiative established in partnership with the administration of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to support abortion access in the state. Sacks is a board member of the Obama Foundation.

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The planned honor comes roughly a year after Cupich faced criticism from fellow Catholic leaders over plans to recognize Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., whose support for abortion rights drew objections from bishops who argued that honoring him would conflict with Church teaching. Durbin declined to accept the lifetime achievement award following the backlash. 

In a Monday statement defending the recognition for Sacks, Cupich wrote in part, "This year, the Nostra Aetate Award will be added to the honoring ceremony. It is named for the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions, issued by the Second Vatican Council, and is designed to affirm the value the Church places on interreligious relationships by honoring members of non-Christian communities for their leadership in their own and the wider community. This year’s recipient is Mr. Michael Sacks, a well-respected leader in Chicago and in the Jewish community."

Cupich further defended the decision, arguing that the Catholic Church's Nostra Aetate declaration provides a framework for honoring and building relationships with individuals who do not share Catholic beliefs, including those who hold differing moral or political views. He maintained that recognizing someone for their leadership and service to the community does not constitute an endorsement of all their positions, but instead fosters mutual respect and creates opportunities for meaningful dialogue.

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Carl E. Olson, editor of the Catholic World Report, called out Cupich on X Monday, writing, "A pro-abortion billionaire is being given a prominent award by the @archchicago because he's ‘well-respected’ in Chicago and the Jewish community. In defending the choice, @CardinalBCupich plays the antisemitic card, saying, ‘Refusing to honor or engage with Jews solely because they hold conflicting religious or political positions can risk mimicking historic patterns of antisemitism through exclusion and bigotry, which, frighteningly, is on the rise.’"

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Olson added, "Surely there are prominent pro-life Jewish leaders in the Chicago area? Also, what if, theoretically, it were discovered that Mr. Sacks had given money to a pro-MAGA group? Would the antisemitic card still be used?"

Catholic investigative reporter Christine Niles also took to X to raise concerns, sharing a quote from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' statement "Catholics in Political Life," which reads, "The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Kelsey Reinhardt, president and CEO of CatholicVote, said, "The U.S. bishops have taught that Catholic institutions should not give ‘awards, honors or platforms’ to those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. A little over a year ago, Catholics made clear their disappointment that the Archdiocese of Chicago attempted to honor a public supporter of abortion."

Reinhardt added, "We urge Cardinal Cupich to reconsider this honor. The pre-born babies and the faithful who support them cry out once again."

The media relations department for Cupich told Fox News Digital that it has nothing to add to the statement on its website.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Sacks said, "Mr. Sacks is honored to receive the award and believes the Cardinal's statement speaks for itself."

Fox News Digital reached out to the USCCB for comment.