Archbishop Aquila prays for President Biden, calls for policies rooted in the Gospel of Christ

US President-elect Joe Biden (L) takes the oath of office during the 59th presidential inauguration on January 20, 2021, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW HARNIK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila has released the following statement in support of the statement released by USCCB President Archbishop José Gomez on the inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., as 46th President of the United States of America.

“Today I join with Archbishop José Gomez in praying for President Joe Biden, his family, and unity for our country. In this time of transition from one administration to another in the United States we must turn to prayer, to our God from whom all power and authority comes. I will keep President Biden and Vice President Harris in my daily prayers.

I strongly support Archbishop Gomez’s statement that we desire as bishops to work with President Biden to advance policies that are rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the social teachings of his Church, especially when it comes to immigration, racism, and capital punishment. Archbishop Gomez rightly noted in his remarks that the beliefs and teachings of the Catholic Church do not fully align with either political party, but my hope is that President Biden will accept the invitation for true dialogue with the Church on all issues, especially those that involve the right to life and the God-given dignity of the human person. My prayer is that when his party seeks to advance ‘moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender,’ he will have the courage to stand up for the truth of God’s love and plan revealed to us by Jesus.

Advancing the idea that one can have a personal belief that is in direct contradiction with one’s public stance, especially on issues that involve the taking of life or the distortion of God’s plan for sexuality, is not a mark of integrity and calls for conversion of heart.

With Christ as our guide, we can work towards a society that respects the God-given dignity of every person from conception until natural death, protects religious liberty and freedom of conscience, and cares for the most vulnerable, including people of all races, religions, and backgrounds.”

Read Archbishop Gomez’s full statement: https://www.usccb.org/news/2021/usccb-presidents-statement-inauguration-joseph-r-biden-jr-46th-president-united-states