PHOTO STUNT: WHITE HOUSE FOOLED DENVER ARCHBISHOP, OTHER CATHOLIC LEADERS

Denver Archbishop James Golka and other Roman Catholic leaders said images showing them praying with President Trump during a private meeting were distributed by the White House without permission.

“I understand that many people saw the video, posted by the administration twelve days before an election, as an endorsement. That was never my intention,” Gorka told Denver Catholic Magazine. "The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party. I hold to that," the archbishop said. "However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine." “I’ve had a lot of people, really good friends, ask me, ‘What were you doing?’ ‘Why did you do that?’ I just answer, ‘I was being a Catholic priest,’” Golka said. “We pray for people. We bless people who need blessing. And we all need blessing, every single one of us. That’s what we do.” [Photo: White House]