New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan will take part in the upcoming presidential inauguration of Republican Donald Trump.
“I am honoured to have been asked to offer a reading from Scripture
at the upcoming presidential inauguration, and look forward to asking
almighty God to inspire and guide our new president and to continue to
bless our great nation,” Cardinal Dolan said in an email to Catholic
News Service.
Trump, a lifelong New Yorker, will be sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on January 20.
According to the president-elect’s inaugural committee, other faith
leaders who are scheduled to be present include the Reverend Samuel
Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference;
Paula White of New Destiny Christian Center; Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and
founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center; the Reverend Franklin Graham
of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; and
Bishop Wayne Jackson of Great Faith Ministries International.
The Washington Post reported in December that Trump is scheduled to
attend “a private family church service at St John’s Episcopal Church
near the White House,” where many previous presidents have worshipped
just before being sworn-in.
A day after the inauguration, Trump is expected to attend the 58th
Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, an interfaith service at
Washington’s National Cathedral.
“The cathedral is a sacred space for the nation to come together at
moments of national importance, including the inauguration of our
presidents,” officials for the cathedral said in a statement.
“The
Inaugural Prayer Service is a moment for our next president to pause and
contemplate the incredible responsibility he has been entrusted with
and to listen as the faith community offers prayers for the office of
the president.”
In October, Cardinal Dolan hosted Trump and his then-rival for the
presidency, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, at the 71st annual
dinner of the Alfred E Smith Memorial Foundation.
The charitable gala, which drew 1,500 people, is named for a former
governor of New York who was raised in poverty and who ran for president
in 1928.
Smith was the first Catholic nominated by a major political
party to run for the nation’s highest office.