The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls has gone on record saying he will not endorse a speech given by Sister Simone Campbell tonight at Mount Marty College.
Joseph Benoit is the president of Mount Marty. He says that yesterday Bishop Paul Swain sent a letter to the priests and deacons in the Diocese of Sioux Falls and mailed a copy to the college.
"And in that letter he I think is referencing an article that was in the Press and Dakotan of an interview with Sister Campbell and indicates that in the letter and I’ll quote ‘neither Sister Campbell’s remarks nor her content of her message are endorsed by me or the diocese’- that’s the bishop’s quote directly read from his letter," says Benoit.
Sister Simone Campbell is the head of the NETWORK lobby, which is a Catholic based organization in Washington D.C. The organization focuses on health care and issues related to the poor.
Sister Campbell’s speech is titled ‘Health Care and the Poor’ and she says she hopes to explain why she thinks Medicaid expansion would benefit South Dakota and low wage workers.
Benoit says he thinks Sister Campbell’s speech is an opportunity for students to understand a complex, politicized and emotional issue.