• Commentary,  Strengthening Families and Resolving Crises,  Welcoming and Integrating Immigrants and Refugees

    2017 Inaugurations

    You Mean There’s More than One?! I, along with a few other Catholic Charities staff, went to D.C. last week for the inauguration not of the President that takes place January 20th but of the new 115th Congress on January 3rd.  The media made so little of this swearing in of 52 new members in the legislative branch of government, you almost could have ignored it.  I went because I was invited to two of these swearing in ceremonies – one for a Republican from the Hudson Valley, John Faso, and one for a Democrat from Washington Heights, Adriano Espaillat.    I delivered one of the invocations at Congressman Espaillat’s swearing in event.  My view on invocations and political events is simple:  Engage often, endorse rarely, and pray always.  When it comes to politicians and elected officials, they and we – their constituents- can…