New York: Pope Francis has telephoned Joe Biden, says a statement from the US president-elect.
“President-elect Joe Biden spoke this morning (November 12) with His Holiness Pope Francis. The President-elect thanked His Holiness for extending blessings and congratulations and noted his appreciation for His Holiness’ leadership in promoting peace, reconciliation, and the common bonds of humanity around the world.
‘The President-elect expressed his desire to work together on the basis of a shared belief in the dignity and equality of all humankind on issues such as caring for the marginalized and the poor, addressing the crisis of climate change, and welcoming and integrating immigrants and refugees into our communities.”
When he is inaugurated, Biden will be the second Catholic president of the United States. John F Kennedy was elected November 8, 1960.
Joe Biden first met Pope Francis in 2013 when he was vice president, serving with President Barack Obama. In 2015, Biden and Obama welcomed Pope Francis to Washington, where he addressed a joint meeting of Congress on September 24. In April 2016, Biden met Pope Francis when they both spoke at a conference on adult stem-cell research at the Vatican.
Biden also had a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in June 2011.
In 1980, the then Senator Joe Biden and his wife Jill met St Pope John Paul II during an Audience at the Vatican.
Source: indcatholicnews.com