Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently appeared in a video in which she hand-fed a Dorito chip to a podcaster. Michigan Catholic bishops disavowed the video as offensive, drawing connections between it and Holy Communion.
The video released on Liz Plank’s Instagram showed Whitmer standing in front of a kneeling Plank, with her mouth open and sticking out her tongue. Whitmer then placed a chip into Plank’s mouth, followed by a camera pan to Whitmer, who stared blankly into the camera.
The video released by Plank is based on a popular TikTok trend in which a friend hand-feeds another food. The Michigan Catholic Conference released a statement condemning the video as offensive and distasteful.
“The skit goes further than the viral online trend that inspired it, specifically imitating the posture and gestures of Catholics receiving the Holy Eucharist, in which we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present,” President and CEO of the Michigan Catholic Conference Paul Long said.
A rally was held outside the governor’s home, where the Catholic attendees prayed the rosary and demanded religious respect following the video.
Whitmer recently apologized for the video, saying that she never intended to insult anyone’s faith. Instead, Whitmer mentioned how the video intended to show the importance of the CHIPS Act, thus making it a play on words.
So why is Gov. Whitmer receiving so much backlash? There are a few important aspects of Catholicism to consider.
What does it look like?
The Catholic Sacrament of Communion is performed every Sunday at Catholic Mass. Often the Eucharist, what Catholics hold to be the body of Jesus Christ, is administered by being placed on the tongue of a kneeling Catholic during Communion.
This image is familiar to many Catholics. Thus, a conclusion was drawn that the similar posture in Whitmer’s’ video was in reference to the Catholic Communion.
“Whether or not insulting Catholics and the Eucharist was the intent, it has had an offensive impact,” Long said.
What is the Eucharist?
The Catholic belief in the Eucharist is a core aspect of the Catholic faith and is a central point of the denomination that differentiates Catholic beliefs from other Christian denominations.
According to the Catholic faith, the Eucharist is how Catholics gain eternal life and is thus a key component of salvation, the Christian concept of being saved from the consequences of sin.
When Catholics kneel during Communion and receive the Eucharist, they believe that they are receiving the literal body of Jesus Christ. This makes kneeling during Communion one of the most sacred moments in the Catholic Mass.
The Catholic vote
Recent polls indicate that Catholics in swing states, including Michigan, favor Trump. This naturally puts the Catholic vote at odds with Whitmer.
The Catholic falling out with the Democratic party is interesting considering that Catholics have been evenly split in recent years and voted consistently Democrat in 20th-century elections.
The recent divide is hardly surprising considering the stark differences between Catholic beliefs and parts of the Democratic agenda — most notably abortion.
According to The Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion … Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.”
Additionally, the Catholic Church has also affirmed its stance that it considers homosexuality immoral. While the Catholic Church believes in the dignity of LGBTQ+ individuals, it is still opposed to the angle the Democratic party has taken on this issue.
The Catholic vote in the U.S. is an essential electoral block that could swing future elections.
