Pope: congratulations, prayers for re-elected US President

Pope: congratulations, prayers for re-elected US President


(Vatican Radio) Pope Benedict XVI sent congratulations to US President Barack Obama, who has been elected to a second term in office. In his Message, the Holy Father offers his best wishes to the President, and promises continued prayers on his behalf. The Pope assures the re-elected President that he will ask God to help him in his high responsibility to the country and the international community. The Pope also says he will pray that the ideals of freedom and justice, which guided the founders of the United States of America, might continue to shine through the nation as it makes its way in history.

The Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Federico Lombardi, SJ, commented:

All hope that President Obama, confirmed in his office after the elections, will respond to the expectations of his fellow citizens; that he might serve right and justice for the benefit and growth of every person, in respect for those human and spiritual values, which are essential to the promotion of the culture of life and religious freedom, which are ever so precious in the tradition and culture of the American people, so that that people might be capable of finding the best ways to promote the material and spiritual welfare of all; so that it can effectively promote integral human development, justice and peace in the world.

Acknowledging the victory, the President told his supporters in Chicago that he is looking forward to addressing the challenges of the next four years. “I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead,” Obama said. He also spoke of the need to repair the national discourse. “The recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won't end all the gridlock or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward,” he said, adding, “that common bond is where we must begin.” Listen to our report, including the extended remarks of US Ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel H. Diaz, interviewed by Vatican Radio's Alessandro Gisotti:

The latest US election season saw what was possibly the most expensive campaigns in the nation’s history, and heading into election day, the race was too close to call. Both the President and his defeated challenger, Mitt Romney, recognized the campaigning and the vote itself as expressions of the strength of US political society. It was a theme that also animated the reflections of the outgoing US Ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel H. Diaz, who hosted a post-election breakfast at Rome’s Hassler Hotel to view the incoming results. The Ambassador spoke to Vatican Radio’s Alessandro Gisotti, saying, “Once again, the American people have had an opportunity to express their opinion, to vote and to affirm democracy,” he said, adding, “what a wonderful gift this is – not only for us to participate in, but for the rest of the world to see.”

In addition to the one for the Presidency, there were races for every seat in the US House of Representatives and 1/3 of the seats in the US Senate, as well as elections for state-wide offices like governor, and other state and local offices, as well as numerous ballot initiatives. It is estimated that more than 117 million people participated in the elections – a figure that is lower than the 131 million people who voted in the 2008 elections.