Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde spoke with All Things Considered about the sermon she gave to President Trump during a mass where she asked him to show compassion towards vulnerable communities. “I decided to ask him as delicately as possible to have mercy,” said Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington.
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"The danger of speaking about people in these broad categories, especially immigrants, as if they were all criminals or transgender children who are somehow dangerous," he added.
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The bishop advocates for unity.
"To be united as a country with such wealth and diversity, we need mercy. We need compassion. We need empathy. And instead of listing that as a broad category, as you heard me say, I decided to call on the president," he continued.
The bishop held a prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington where she addressed Trump, with Vice President Vance by his side: "Allow me to make one last plea, Mr. President," said Budde in her 15-minute sermon.
There will be no excuse for President Trump.
“Millions of people have placed their trust in you, and as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy on the people of our country who are now scared,” Budde said, looking directly at the president.
Although the president only looked at her, Trump's allies quickly criticized her, and a Republican congressman said, "added to the list of deportations."
Nevertheless, Budde does not regret it: "I don't hate the president and I pray for him," Budde said. "I don't think it's necessary to apologize for a request for clemency."
"I regret that it has caused the type of response it has caused, in the sense that it actually confirmed what I mentioned before, which is our tendency to get upset and not speak to each other with respect. But no, I will not apologize for what I said."