Letter from Bishop David A. Zubik
on the Presidential Election

November 5, 2008

Dear Sisters and Brothers of the Church of Pittsburgh:

The election is over. Our citizens have spoken. We have a new president. For President-elect Obama, we pray God’s blessings. For our nation, we beg God’s guidance.

In his acceptance speech following the election, our new president was most gracious and conciliatory. He noted that among the challenges we face as a nation is our need to put aside the passion and the rhetoric of the campaign so that we can come together as a nation. President-elect Obama acknowledged the variety of different opinions on important issues. He promised to listen to those whose opinions differed from his. I have trust in that promise.

Over the course of the campaign on a number of occasions I have written to you, the faithful of the Diocese, and have spoken to the general public about the preeminent issue of respecting life. My hope and prayer is that our new president will truly treasure and advance the principles that make us who we are as a great nation.

As he spoke to the nation for the first time, our newly-elected president offered a litany of hopes for our country. To each of those hopes, the crowd gathered responded: “Yes we can!” May that litany also include “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” As I wrote on the eve of the election, “Elections come and go. Truth stands.”

Grateful for our belief that “Nothing is impossible with God,” I am

Your brother in Christ,

Most Reverend David A. Zubik
Bishop of Pittsburgh