Pope Francis congratulated President Donald Trump on the occasion of his second inauguration Monday, offering a positive and hopeful message in contrast to sharp criticism the leader of the Catholic Church previously aimed at him.
The message sent to Trump by the Holy Father, 87, reads:
On the occasion of your inauguration as the forty-seventh President of the United States of America, I offer cordial greetings and the assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will grant you wisdom, strength and protection in the exercise of your high duties. Inspired by your nation’s ideals of being a land of opportunity and welcome for all, it is my hope that under your leadership the American people will prosper and always strive to build a more just society, where there is no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion. At the same time, as our human family faces numerous challenges, not to…
