At one point Ronald Reagan needed a powerful ally who could help him hold on to Catholic voters — and he found that ally in John Paul II. Today, Joe Biden faces a similar situation.

“It’s clear that the pope does not agree with the president about abortion. He’s made that exceptionally clear.”

President Biden is lobbying for a spending bill containing many ideas that the U.S. bishops have long supported. Catholic leaders and voters should recognize this opportunity for bipartisanship.

Biden’s Vatican meeting comes just a couple of weeks before U.S. bishops are expected to vote on a controversial document that could take aim at pro-choice Catholic politicians.

“The Eucharist should not in any way become a weapon,” Cardinal Peter Turkson said in response to a question about a document U.S. bishops are drafting about Communion.

Any exit from Afghanistan was bound to be fraught. That does not reduce our responsibility to assess the Biden administration’s missteps.