However, at a June 13 press conference at the U.S. bishops' spring meeting in Atlanta, Archbishop Lori was questioned by Jerry Filteau of the National Catholic Reporter about funding for the bishops' campaign to defend religious liberty.
Filteau said that he had heard "rumors" that much of the funding for the bishops' effort is coming from the Knights, whose head, Anderson, is a former Reagan administration official.
He suggested that there may be "a partisanship aspect to the whole thing."
In response, Archbishop Lori called the idea an "injustice" and urged those in attendance to think "of what the Knights of Columbus does for the Catholic Church and for many other humanitarian causes."
"It is not in any way partisan, either in its spirit or in its funding," he said.
Speaking to CNA on Aug. 6, Archbishop Lori observed that by his support for the Knights, the Pope himself has reaffirmed that the issue of defending religious liberty goes "beyond partisan confines."
Through his letter, Pope Benedict "clarifies that whether one is a Democrat or Republican or an Independent, one ought to be working diligently to defend religious liberty."
"Because, if religious liberty is compromised or violated, then a very unjust society emerges and that is not in anyone's interest of any party or of any political stripe," the archbishop said.
Ultimately, he noted, the Pope's strong encouragement of the group "strengthens our resolve to continue fighting this battle which is not only legal and administrative, but also cultural and moral."
Marianne is a journalist with a background in writing and Catholic theology. When not elaborating on the cinematic arts, she enjoys spending time with people, reading thick books and traveling anywhere and everywhere.