WASHINGTON | The White House has launched an initiative calling for prayers for the nation as part of the celebration of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
President Donald Trump announced the initiative Sept. 8 during remarks at the Museum of the Bible for a hearing by the Department of Justice's Religious Liberty Commission.
The effort, according to the White House, will seek 1 million Americans who will dedicate "one hour a week to praying for our country and our people."
"America has always been a nation that believes in the power of prayer," Trump said during his remarks at the hearing. "And we will never apologize for our faith. Ever, ever, never, never. We will never surrender our God-given rights."
Catholic entities participating in the "America Prays" effort include the prayer and meditation app Hallow.
Alex Jones, CEO of Hallow, said in a statement, "Every great renewal begins with prayer. Our country was born through prayer, and by God's grace, will be renewed through it. What an honor and a joy it is to help invite us to come together as a nation in prayer. May the Lord bless us and keep us."
Other organizations partnering with the White House are Catholics for Catholics and CatholicVote, both Republican-aligned advocacy groups that do not operate with any formal approval from the Catholic Church.
Kelsey Reinhardt, president of CatholicVote, said in comments on the group's blog that "Nothing is more important than winning back the soul of America. Prayer is the essential weapon in this battle."
"We are grateful to President Trump for leading the way and inspiring citizens of all faiths to once again turn their hearts and minds toward God as our country marks the milestone of the 250th anniversary of her birth," she said, adding, CatholicVote "joins the President's call to change the heart of the nation -- not through politics as usual," she said, "but through prayer, sacrament, and surrender."
Critics said the effort blurred lines between church and state.
Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said in a statement, "Once again, President Trump is using religion to promote his self-aggrandizement and political agenda, all the while perpetuating the lie that America is a Christian nation and that religion is under attack."
Robert Schmuhl, professor emeritus of American studies at the University of Notre Dame, who critically observes the modern American presidency, told OSV News, "Much of Donald Trump's base of political support has a strong element of Christian nationalism."
"'America Prays' will appeal to that segment of the society," he said.
But Schmuhl also noted the effort "comes at a time when there are questions about the president's previous conduct that challenge this call to religious devotion," such as questions about the nature of Trump's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein -- the late multimillionaire and serial sexual predator who was found dead in prison of an apparent hanging in 2019 -- and the state of the U.S. economy, among other issues.
"Of late the public has seen many more pictures of the president in the company of Jeffrey Epstein than photos of Trump attending church," he said.
"In the eyes of some people, he's an imperfect messenger for spiritual guidance," Schmuhl said about differences in public opinion on the perception of Trump's approach to religious freedom issues. "When Jimmy Carter talked about faith, there was an authenticity in what he said and practiced as a Sunday school teacher. That isn't the case today -- when everything seems to be political and the society so polarized."
During his remarks at the same event, Trump also said the Department of Education would issue guidance on protecting the right to prayer in public schools. Neither Trump nor the department shed light on what that guidance may include. The Trump administration previously reduced the workforce at the Department of Education and stated its intent to downsize the department.
