Today, both Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York and Pope Benedict
XVI sent messages to President Barack Obama, congratulating him on his
re-election.
Cardinal Dolan’s
letter:
Dear
President Obama,
In
my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I
write to express my congratulations on your re-election as President of the
United States. The people of our country have again entrusted you with a great
responsibility. The Catholic Bishops of the United States offer our prayers
that God will give you strength and wisdom to meet the difficult challenges
that face America.
In
particular, we pray that you will exercise your office to pursue the common
good, especially in care of the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn,
the poor, and the immigrant. We will continue to stand in defense of life,
marriage, and our first, most cherished liberty,
religious freedom. We pray, too, that you will help restore a sense of civility
to the public order, so our public conversations may be imbued with respect and
charity toward everyone.
May
God bless you and Vice President Biden as you prepare for your second term in
service to our country and its citizens.
Sincerely
yours,
Timothy
Cardinal Dolan
Archbishop
of New York
President
United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The text of Pope Benedict’s message to President Obama was not
released, but this
summary was published by the Vatican Information Service:
Vatican City, (VIS) -
Benedict XVI, through the apostolic nunciature in Washington, U.S.A., has sent
a message to Barack Obama, congratulating him on his re-election as president
of the United States of America.
In his message the Holy
Father expresses his best wishes to the president on his new mandate, and gives
assurances of his prayers to God to help him carry out his serious
responsibilities, both in his own country and within the international
community. The Pope also speaks of his hope that the ideals of freedom and
justice, which guided the founding fathers of the Unites States of America, may
continue to shine out as the nation progresses.
Holy See Press Office
Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. also made a brief comment on the
re-election of President Obama. "As we all know", he said, "the
U.S. president has an immense responsibility, not only in his own country but
also towards the rest of the world, given the role the U.S.A. plays at an
international level".
"For this reason we hope
that President Obama will respond to his fellow citizens' expectations, serving
law and justice for the good and development of all people, and respecting
essential human and spiritual values while promoting a culture of life and
religious freedom".