National Day of Prayer criticized by some, including Bishop Thomas Gumbleton

The president's participation in the broadcast drew criticism from Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a liberal group, which suggested that the nonprofit evangelical organization that sponsors the concert and related events was improperly advertising for Mr. Bush's re-election.

Some religious figures, including a Roman Catholic bishop and the president of a major evangelical Christian seminary, also accused the organizers of the broadcast and the White House of using prayer for political purposes.

Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton of the Archdiocese of Detroit, said he disputed the whole premise of the National Day of Prayer, which he said seems to petition God with certain goals in mind. "The whole point of prayer should be about asking God's will," Bishop Gumbleton said, and he noted that the Catholic Church opposed the war in Iraq.

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