{"id":2698857,"date":"2026-11-05T08:30:12","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T13:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignchicago-bishop-publicly-awards-billionaire-who-donated-1-1-million-to-kill-babies\/"},"modified":"2026-11-05T08:39:34","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T13:39:34","slug":"utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignchicago-bishop-publicly-awards-billionaire-who-donated-1-1-million-to-kill-babies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/utm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignchicago-bishop-publicly-awards-billionaire-who-donated-1-1-million-to-kill-babies\/","title":{"rendered":"Bishop Awards Billionaire Who Donated $1.1Million To Kill Babies"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Futm_sourcerssutm_mediumrssutm_campaignchicago-bishop-publicly-awards-billionaire-who-donated-1-1-million-to-kill-babies%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2698857&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Cardinal blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, plans to present the Nostra Aetate award to Jewish billionaire Michael Sacks at the Rerum Novarum Awards Dinner on Oct.29.Nostra Aetate is the Vatican II declaration on the Church\u2019s relationship with non-christian faiths.<\/p>\n<p>the Sacks Family Foundation, run by Michael Sacks, donated $500,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois in 2022 and $600,000 to the Prairie State Access Fund, which has been described as helping abortion providers offset the loss of federal funding. Reports say that fund was created in partnership with Illinois\u2019 governor to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scientists-urge-supreme-court-to-uphold-abortion-ban\/\" title=\"Scientists Urge Supreme Court To Uphold ... Ban\">support abortion access<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The article links those donations to a rise in abortions in Illinois-reporting 72,143 in 2023, a 28% increase from 2022-and calculates that Sacks\u2019 $1.1 million in contributions could have paid for roughly 1,800 first-trimester procedures at an estimated $600 each.<\/p>\n<p>Cardinal Cupich defended the decision to honor Sacks, praising his leadership, generosity and contributions to society, and framing opposition as a political disagreement rather than a religious issue. He also warned that excluding Jews for <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >holding differing views risks echoing antisemitic exclusion<\/a>. The writer calls that argument a diversion.<\/p>\n<p>The piece argues many faithful object not because Sacks is Jewish but because he funded abortions,which the Catholic Church teaches is a grave moral evil. It cites the Catechism\u2019s firm condemnation of procured abortion and notes that Church law can attach canonical penalties, including excommunication, to the crime. It also cites U.S.bishops\u2019 guidance that Catholics should not honor people who act contrary to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/catholic-bidens-policies-contradict-moral-law-says-ariz-priest\/\" title=\"\u2018Catholic\u2019 Biden\u2019s policies contradict moral ..., says Ariz. priest\">basic moral principles<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Critics,including Catholic Vote,urged the cardinal to reconsider. The article also recalls a recent episode in which the archdiocese attempted to honor Sen.dick Durbin with a lifetime achievement award but withdrew it after backlash.<\/p>\n<p>The author concludes that giving an award to a major pro-abortion donor conflicts with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/assisted-suicide-group-teams-up-with-planned-parenthood-honcho\/\" title=\"Assisted Suicide Group Teams Up With ... Honcho\">protecting human life<\/a>, contends that Sacks should seek repentance rather than recognition, and notes that Cupich-who is past the customary retirement age for bishops-has further tarnished his legacy.the piece calls for prayer for a better successor.<\/p>\n<p>About the author: Zachary Mettler is a staff writer and communications liaison at the Daily Citizen (Focus on the Family).He writes on politics, history, philosophy and culture, holds a bachelor\u2019s from William Jessup University, and has been published in various national outlets.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>One of America\u2019s most powerful Catholic leaders will bestow an award upon a radical, pro-abortion Jewish billionaire who has financed the murder of hundreds of preborn children.<\/p>\n<p>Cardinal Blaise Cupich, the current archbishop of Chicago, defended the Archdiocese of Chicago\u2019s decision to honor Jewish billionaire Michael Sacks at the Rerum Novarum Awards Dinner, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/chicago-cardinal-sparks-controversy-honoring-abortion-access-donor-gala-future-priests\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/chicago-cardinal-sparks-controversy-honoring-abortion-access-donor-gala-future-priests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">benefiting<\/a> Mundelein Seminary, on Oct. 29. He will be gifted the Nostra Aetate award during the dinner\u2019s honoring ceremony. \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/archive\/hist_councils\/ii_vatican_council\/documents\/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Nostra Aetate<\/a>\u201d is a Vatican II document on Catholic relations with non-Christian religions.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/organizations\/364053778\/202631359349104118\/full\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/organizations\/364053778\/202631359349104118\/full\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sacks Family Foundation<\/a>, of which Michael Sacks is president and treasurer, gave $500,000 to Planned Parenthood of Illinois in 2022, the same year the U.S. Supreme Court overturned <em>Roe v. Wade<\/em>, raising obvious problems considering the Catholic church\u2019s clear teaching on the grave evil of abortion.<\/p>\n<p>Sacks also gave $600,000 to the Prairie State Access Fund, which The Pillar <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pillarcatholic.com\/p\/abraham-the-poor-chicago-awards-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a> was intended to \u201coffset abortion providers\u2019 loss of federal funding \u2014 providers including Planned Parenthood.\u201d Fox News <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/chicago-cardinal-sparks-controversy-honoring-abortion-access-donor-gala-future-priests\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/chicago-cardinal-sparks-controversy-honoring-abortion-access-donor-gala-future-priests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reports<\/a> the fund was \u201cestablished in partnership with the administration of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to support abortion access in the state.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com\/house-passes-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-finally-defunding-planned-parenthood\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com\/house-passes-one-big-beautiful-bill-act-finally-defunding-planned-parenthood\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">defunded<\/a> abortion providers of federal funding for one year. In 2023, 72,143 preborn children <a href=\"https:\/\/illinois-doit-prod-idph.amsadobe.com\/data-statistics\/vital-statistics\/abortion-statistics.html\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/illinois-doit-prod-idph.amsadobe.com\/data-statistics\/vital-statistics\/abortion-statistics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">were murdered<\/a> by abortion in the Land of Lincoln \u2014 a 28 percent increase from 2022 \u2014 thanks in no small part to Sacks\u2019 generosity. At around $600 each, which Planned Parenthood says is the cost of a first trimester, in-clinic abortion, Sacks\u2019 $1.1 million pro-abortion dollars could have financed the killing of around 1,833 precious children.<\/p>\n<p>Apparently, that\u2019s of no great concern for the 77-year-old Catholic cardinal, who issued a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.archchicago.org\/en\/statement\/-\/article\/2026\/10\/26\/statement-of-cardinal-blase-cupich-archbishop-of-chicago-on-the-nostra-aetate-award\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archchicago.org\/en\/statement\/-\/article\/2026\/10\/26\/statement-of-cardinal-blase-cupich-archbishop-of-chicago-on-the-nostra-aetate-award\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> defending Sacks\u2019 \u201cleadership,\u201d \u201cgenerosity and talent,\u201d and touting \u201cthe gifts he brings to society,\u201d while dismissing Sacks\u2019 pro-abortion contributions as a mere \u201cpolitical dispute\u201d since Sacks happens to be \u201cat odds\u201d with the church\u2019s moral teachings. Strangely, he criticized \u201cantisemitism\u201d as the source of criticism over the award.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRefusing 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,\u201d the cardinal stated, concocting the reddest of red herrings.<\/p>\n<p>Respecting individuals\u2019 personal conscience and religious convictions is one thing. Awarding an individual bankrolling the murder of children and thanking him for his \u201cgenerosity\u201d is a wholly different matter.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s make this clear: Many faithful Catholics and Protestants are rightly outraged by the cardinal\u2019s decision to give Sacks the Nostra Aetate Award, not because he is Jewish, but because he has funded the killing of the innocent, which the Catholic Church teaches is a grave evil. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/catechism\/en\/part_three\/section_two\/chapter_two\/article_5\/i_respect_for_human_life.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">catechism of the Catholic church<\/a> states: \u201cSince the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In fact, the church \u201cattaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life\u201d to make clear \u201cthe gravity of the crime committed\u201d and \u201cthe irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death.\u201d One wonders if excommunication could result in \u201csocial ostracization?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In its document <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usccb.org\/issues-and-action\/faithful-citizenship\/church-teaching\/catholics-in-political-life\"><\/a>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usccb.org\/issues-and-action\/faithful-citizenship\/church-teaching\/catholics-in-political-life\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Catholics in Political Life<\/a>,\u201d the U.S. bishops have taught Catholics \u201cshould not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles,\u201d and those individuals should not be given \u201cawards, honors or platforms.\u201d Ironically, the document credits Francis Cardinal George, the former archbishop of Chicago, with its development and creation.<\/p>\n<p>Kelsey Reinhardt, president and CEO of Catholic Vote, said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/chicago-cardinal-sparks-controversy-honoring-abortion-access-donor-gala-future-priests\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/chicago-cardinal-sparks-controversy-honoring-abortion-access-donor-gala-future-priests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">statement<\/a> to Fox News, \u201cWe urge Cardinal Cupich to reconsider this honor. The pre-born babies and the faithful who support them cry out once again.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Just one year ago, the Archdiocese of Chicago also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pillarcatholic.com\/p\/abraham-the-poor-chicago-awards-and\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pillarcatholic.com\/p\/abraham-the-poor-chicago-awards-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">attempted<\/a> to award U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, a rabidly pro-abortion politician, with a \u201clifetime achievement award.\u201d After the backlash that ensued, the senator declined.<\/p>\n<p>With awards like these being handed out left and right to individuals who disregard the church\u2019s teaching on the preeminent social evil of our time, one can\u2019t help but wonder whether Cardinal Cupich really cares much about protecting human life. The cardinal may have forgotten that \u201cNostra Aetate\u201d also teaches, \u201cThe Church has always held \u2026 Christ underwent His passion and death freely, because of the sins of men and out of infinite love, in order that all may reach salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Does giving a pro-abortion donor an award and thanking him for his \u201cleadership\u201d help him reach salvation? I think that answer is clear. For Sacks, repentance is in order. Not recognition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNostra Aetate\u201d recognizes what is good and true in other religions. But it by no means disregards as unimportant the vast and significant differences between them. It also does not blur the lines between good and evil, nor recognize and award the \u201cgenerosity\u201d and \u201cgifts\u201d of those who commit grave evils, as Cardinal Cupich has done.<\/p>\n<p>Just days ago, many <a href=\"https:\/\/dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com\/praying-with-the-president-shouldnt-be-controversial\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com\/praying-with-the-president-shouldnt-be-controversial\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">were angered<\/a> when 12 Catholic bishops prayed with President Trump in the Oval Office. What if they had given him an award, thanking him for his leadership and generosity? He did help defund Planned Parenthood and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pig-kidney-works-inside-of-donated-body-for-over-a-month\/\" title=\"Pig kidney functions in donated body for a month.\">save human lives<\/a>, after all. For some reason, I doubt Cardinal Cupich would approve.<\/p>\n<p>At 77-years-old, Cardinal Cupich is past the usual retirement age for Catholic bishops. Church law requires bishops submit their resignation to the pope upon turning aged 75. His decision to give an award to Sacks, a billionaire with blood on his hands, thus scandalizing the faithful, taints the cardinal\u2019s legacy even further. As a new archbishop is selected, let\u2019s all pray for a more worthy successor.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Zachary Mettler works as a staff writer and communications liaison for the Daily Citizen at Focus on the Family. In his role, he writes about current political issues, U.S. history, political philosophy, and culture. Mettler earned his bachelor\u2019s degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. In addition to the Daily Citizen, his written pieces have appeared in the Daily Wire, the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, Newsweek, Townhall, the Daily Signal, the Christian Post, Charisma News, and other outlets.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cupich to honor pro-abortion billionaire Michael Sacks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2969,"featured_media":2698858,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/cupich.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546],"tags":[4310,5684,11529,50410,37055],"class_list":["post-2698857","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","tag-abortion","tag-billionaire","tag-bishop","tag-controversy-2","tag-philanthropy"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/cupich.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2698857","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2969"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2698857"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2698857\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2698868,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2698857\/revisions\/2698868"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2698858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2698857"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2698857"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2698857"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}