Donald Trump adds Catholic advisory panel to campaign

Donald Trump's campaign announced the formation of an advisory panel composed of Catholic leaders to advise the Republican nominee on issues that are important to Catholics.

According to the statement released by Trump's campaign last week, the Catholic Advisory Group will be a part of the Faith and Cultural Advisory Committee of Trump's campaign.

Members of the panel include former U.S. senator Rick Santorum, Rev. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, Matt Smith of American Conservative Union, former Oklahoma governor Frank Keating and Marjorie Dannenfelser of the Susan B. Anthony List.

Joseph Cella, founder of National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, will serve as the liaison between Trump's campaign and the members of the panel.

Congressman Sean Duffy, a member of the advisory group, argued that Trump will fight for issues and policies that concern Catholics while Hillary Clinton openly opposes the teachings of the Catholic Church. He noted that Clinton worked against the Church when she was the First Lady and during her terms as a U.S. senator and secretary of state.

"Catholics are particularly concerned that she would pack the Supreme Court with 3-5 young ideological liberals whose decisions will have far reaching and long lasting implication for the Catholic Church and the lay faithful on everything from the pro-life issue, to religious liberty to health care and educational mandates, just to name a few," said Duffy, referring to Clinton.

Pavone, who is also a member of Trump's pro-life coalition, explained in an interview with the Christian Post that being a member of the group does not necessarily equate to an endorsement of Trump but he said that he will personally cast his vote for the candidate.

According to a poll from the Public Religion Research Institute, Trump trails behind Clinton by 23 percentage points among Catholic voters. Pavone surmises that the Republican nominee can close the gap by focusing on the issues in which the Democratic party contradicts Catholic doctrines.

"When it comes to the sanctity of life, marriage, family, and religious freedom, it is not only that the party has the wrong policies, but it abandons the principles underlying those policies," said Pavone.