(JTA) — An address by a Roman Catholic bishop that compared President Obama’s health care policies to Hitler’s actions did not play well in Peoria.
The Anti-Defamation League has called on Peoria Roman Catholic Bishop Daniel Jenky to apologize for statements in his April 15 homily, which ADL Greater Chicago-Upper Midwest Regional director Lonnie Nasatir told the Chicago Tribune were "completely over the top."
Jenky referred to Obama’s policies as one of many government challenges through the centuries with which the Catholic Church has had to deal.
"Hitler and Stalin, at their better moments, would just barely tolerate some churches remaining open, but would not tolerate any competition with the state in education, social services and health care," Jenky said in his homily at St. Mary’s Cathedral.
Nasatir told the Tribune that "Clearly, Bishop Jenky needs a history lesson. There are few, if any, parallels in history to the religious intolerance and anti-Semitism fostered in society by Stalin, and especially Hitler, who under his regime perpetuated the open persecution and ultimate genocide of Jews, Catholics and many other minorities."
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