Pope Sends Personal Telegram to President Obama

May the American people find ...the spiritual values and ethical principles needed to cooperate in the building of a truly just and free society.

VATICAN CITY (Zenit) - Benedict XVI sent a telegram to the new president of the United States, Barack Obama, expressing wishes for the nation to rediscover its heritage of spiritual values and ethical principles.

The Pope sent good wishes to the 44th U.S. president on the occasion of Obama's inauguration today, with an "assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will grant you unfailing wisdom and strength in the exercise of your high responsibilities."

The English text of the telegram, personally signed by the Holy Father, was released by the Vatican today.

He wrote: "Under your leadership may the American people continue to find in their impressive religious and political heritage the spiritual values and ethical principles needed to cooperate in the building of a truly just and free society, marked by respect for the dignity, equality and rights of each of its members, especially the poor, the outcast and those who have no voice."

The Pontiff expressed the hope that "[a]t a time when so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world yearn for liberation from the scourge of poverty, hunger and violence, I pray that you will be confirmed in your resolve to promote understanding, cooperation and peace among the nations, so that all may share in the banquet of life which God wills to set for the whole human family."

He concluded by invoking blessings of "joy and peace" upon the president's family and the American people.

The full text of the telegram is as follows:

The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, D.C.

On the occasion of your inauguration as the Forty-fourth president of the United States of America I offer cordial good wishes, together with the assurance of my prayers that the Almighty God will grant you unfailing wisdom and strength in the exercise of your high responsibilities.

Under your leadership may the American people continue to find in their impressive religious and political heritage the spiritual values and ethical principles needed to cooperate in the building of a truly just and free society, marked by respect for the dignity, equality and rights of each of its members, especially the poor, the outcast and those who have no voice.

At a time when so many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world yearn for liberation from the scourge of poverty, hunger and violence, I pray that you will be confirmed in your resolve to promote understanding, cooperation and peace among the nations, so that all may share in the banquet of life which God wills to set for the whole human family (cf. Isaiah 25:6-7). Upon you and your family, and upon all the American people, I willingly invoke the Lord's blessings of joy and peace.

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