>>> ON WEDNESDAY MORNING, IN THE
HOURS BEFORE HE WAS SWORN IN AS
THE 46th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES, JOE BIDEN ATTENDED MASS
AT THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. MATTHEW,
A PROMINENT CATHOLIC CHURCH NOT
FAR FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, WHICH
WAS THE SITE OF THE FUNERAL FOR
JOHN F. KENNEDY.
PRESIDENT BIDEN LATER TOOK THE
OATH OF OFFICE WITH HIS LEFT
HAND ON A BIBLE THAT HAS BEEN IN
HIS FAMILY SINCE 1893.
THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS HAS SPOKEN
OPENLY AND PROUDLY ABOUT HIS
FAITH.
HOW DOES IT LINE UP WITH HIS
POLICY PROPOSALS?
ANNE THOMPSON HAS OUR SUNDAY
FOCUS.
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN
HAS NEVER BEEN SHY ABOUT HIS
FAITH.
REFERENCING SCRIPTURE.
>> AS THE BIBLE SAYS, JOY COME
IN THE MORNING.
>> Reporter: TEACHING.
>> I GREW UP WITH CATHOLIC
SOCIAL DOCTRINE WHICH TAUGHT ME
FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD.
I'M A CATHOLIC SCHOOLKID.
YOU PLAY BY THE RULES.
WHAT THE NUNS SAY, YOU DO.
>> Reporter: SHARING HIS FAITH
IN A WAY THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE 61
YEARS AGO WHEN JOHN F. CONKENNE
RAN FOR PRESIDENT.
>> I AM NOT THE CATHOLIC
CANDIDATE.
I AM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
CANDIDATE WHO IS A CATHOLIC.
>> Reporter: KENNEDY OVERCAME
FEARS A CATHOLIC PRESIDENT WOULD
BE LOYAL TO THE POPE INSTEAD OF
THE CONSTITUTION.
>> I DO NOT SPEAK FOR MY CHURCH
AND THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK
FOR ME.
>> Reporter: SIX DECADES LATER,
BIDEN PUT POPE FRANCIS' PICTURE
IN CAMPAIGN VIDEOS AND THE OVAL
OFFICE.
WHAT WAS A MOMENT OF TRIUMPH FOR
CATHOLICS IN 1960 IS NOW ONE OF
TENSION.
>> HE IS BECOMING PRESIDENT AT A
TIME WHEN CATHOLICS DISAGREE
ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A GOOD
CATHOLIC.
IT FIGURES LARGELY ON THE
QUESTION OF ABORTION, WHICH IS A
QUESTION THAT JOHN KENNEDY
DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
>> Reporter: WHY HAS IT TAKEN 60
YEARS TO ELECT ANOTHER CATHOLIC
AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES?
>> I THINK IT'S INTERESTING
BECAUSE CATHOLICS HAVE ENTERED
PUBLIC LIFE IN RECORD NUMBERS IN
THE LAST 60 YEARS.
>> Reporter: SOME PRO CHOICE
CATHOLICS FELL VICTIM TO CULTURE
WARS.
WASHINGTON'S NEW CARDINAL, WHO
PRAYED AT BIDEN'S COVID EVENT,
WON'T DO THAT.
THEY FORMED A WORKING GROUP TO
DEAL WITH A DIFFICULT AND
COMPLEX SITUATION.
>> IF THERE'S AN AREA WHERE
CATHOLICS ARE MOST CONFUSED,
IT'S HOW CAN YOU BE SOMEBODY WHO
IS SO ARDENTLY PROMOTING BEING
CATHOLIC WHILE ADOPTING VIEWS
THAT ARE SO EXTREMELY DIVERGE
ENTER FROM WHERE YOUR CHURCH IS
ON THE ISSUE?
>> IT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE
THIS PROBLEM OF CATHOLIC AT THE
WHITE HOUSE WHO REPRESENTS HOW
CATHOLICS FEEL ON SOME ISSUES
MUCH MORE THAN THE BISHOPS DO
REPRESENT.
>> Reporter: THIS MAN IS AN
AUTHOR OF A NEW BOOK ON BIDEN
AND CATHOLICISM.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF SEEING A
PRESIDENT PRACTICE HIS FAITH
EVERY WEEK?
>> I BELIEVE THAT IF ANYONE
KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT JOE BIDEN'S
LIFE, WE WILL SEE SOMETHING OF
HIMSELF.
>> Reporter: A FAITH IN MANY
WAYS AS DIVIDED AS THE COUNTRY
JOE BIDEN NOW LEADS.
>> ANNE JOINS ME LIVE.
GOOD MORNING.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
JOE BIDEN TALKS ABOUT HIS FAITH
ALL THE TIME, DURING THE
CAMPAIGN, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT HE
IS PRESIDENT, WILL IT INTERSECT
WITH POLICY ANYWHERE?
>> YOU KNOW, I THINK YOU SEE
THAT.
YOU SEE THE IMPACT OF CATHOLIC
SOCIAL DOCTRINE ON HIS POLICIES
REGARDING IMMIGRATION, SOCIAL
JUSTICE AND THE DEATH PENALTY.
I THINK WHAT IS REALLY
INTERESTING HERE IS ALL THE
PEOPLE I TALKED TO FOR THIS
STORY SAID THEY SEE AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR JOE BIDEN TO
LEAD A DIALOGUE ON ABORTION AND
HOW TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
PROCEDURES IN THE COUNTRY.
>> HE REPRESENTS THAT TENSION
TH