The leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston on Wednesday said he hoped newly inaugurated President Biden and Vice President Harris will enact policies that help the “forgotten and vulnerable” as the nation looks to a new administration in the White House.
Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley made his thoughts known in a written statement.
“Today we offer our prayers and best wishes for President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris as they undertake the important work of governing our nation,” O’Malley said. “We ask God’s blessings on them for good health, wisdom in all their decisions and their work of building bridges of reconciliation.”
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O’Malley also congratulated Harris as “the first woman, first person of color and first Asian American to serve” as vice president, while also urging the incoming administration to help the downtrodden.
“We pray that President and Vice President enact policies that provide care for the forgotten and vulnerable, heal our nation from this deadly pandemic, welcome the immigrant, provide economic justice and opportunity for all, work to end systemic racism and promote peace across our country and throughout the world,” O’Malley said. “We will endeavor to dialogue with the Biden Administration to advance our commitment to the protection of human life from conception to natural death.”
Wednesday’s inauguration followed a harrowing scene Jan. 6 at the US Capitol, when a mob of people egged on by Donald Trump, Biden’s predecessor, stormed the building in an effort to block the certification of Biden’s November election victory. The violent episode left at least five people dead, including a Capitol police officer.
“Our nation is experiencing serious and troubling division,” O’Malley said, while also referencing remarks Pope Francis made to a joint session of Congress in 2015.
“Pope Francis spoke of ‘the disturbing social and political situation of the world today’ and encouraged us to ‘move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good,’ ” O’Malley said. “The Holy Father called us to ‘resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.’ With the help of God and one another may we strive for that unity of purpose.”
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Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @TAGlobe.