Cardinal Dolan emphasizes shared goals in appearance with Mormon leader

South Bend, Ind., Jul 2, 2021 / 16:19 pm

Appearing alongside the Catholic Archbishop of New York, an elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this week highlighted instances of cooperation between the LDS church and the Catholic Church in the United States. 

Elder Quentin Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Mormon religion, appeared alongside Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York at the inaugural Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit. 

In a presentation at the summit, Cook highlighted over 200 projects that the LDS church has collaborated on with Catholic Relief Services since 1985, along with over 40 projects with Caritas, 99 projects with Catholic Charities, and nearly 300 projects with Catholic Community Services. 

Notably, in 2016, the LDS church gave $1.25 million in aid to Catholic refugee relief efforts. In 2021, the LDS church made a $5 million donation split among nine agencies, one of which was the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, also for refugee resettlement efforts. 

Cardinal Dolan said the LDS and the Catholic Church have become “allies in so many sacred causes,” such as humanitarian aid projects and the cause of religious liberty.

“When you talk about the essential, essential beliefs, you’re talking about we’re children of the one true God who has made us in his image and likeness, who loves us passionately, who wants us to love him back, and to love one another as brothers and sisters,” Cardinal Dolan said. 

“That’s doctrine. That’s God’s revelation. And if we can’t get along, it’s downright sinful and scandalous right? Don’t you think?”

Cardinal Dolan has appeared with Cook before. In 2019, Dolan gave the keynote address to a crowd of 3,000 at Utah Valley University UCCU Center in Orem, Utah. 

“We come together as neighbors, we come together as a family, we come together as friends,” Cardinal Dolan said. “See, that gives a counterexample to those who would love to caricature us as these bigoted, hateful, violent people. And we can't allow that to happen.”

The cardinal added that religious freedom “is important for all of culture and all of society, not just for people of faith.”

The cardinal had previously worked with Mormon leaders on matters of religious freedom, faith, marriage and humanitarian efforts, including a 2017 interreligious meeting in New York City with Mormon and Jewish leaders.

The Mormon Church, a nontrinitarian religion, was founded in the 19th century in New York.