President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump join Catholics in prayer on Ash Wednesday

CV NEWS FEED // President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump joined Catholics in prayer for Ash Wednesday, referring to Jesus Christ as “our Lord and Savior” in a White House statement.

“This Ash Wednesday, we join in prayer with the tens of millions of American Catholics and other Christians beginning the holy season of Lent – a time of spiritual anticipation of the passion, death, and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,” the Trumps stated Wednesday.

The statement outlined the significance of Lent, describing the 40 days of “prayer, fasting, and giving alms” in a way uniquely aligned with Catholic tradition. It also highlighted the tradition of receiving ashes on the forehead, calling it “a sacred reminder of our mortality and our enduring need for Christ’s infinite mercy and redeeming love.” 

“We offer you our best wishes for a prayerful and enriching Lenten season. May Almighty God bless you, and may He continue to bless the United States of America,” the first couple’s message concluded. 

Trump’s statement follows Vice President JD Vance’s public witness to the Catholic faith at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast last week, where he led a prayer for Pope Francis’ health and praised the pontiff for his role in guiding the faithful. 

“I also know that the Pope, I believe that the Pope, is fundamentally a person who cares about the flock of Christians under his leadership, and he’s a man who cares about the spiritual direction of the faith,” said Vance, a Catholic convert. 

Continuing the Trump administration’s precedent of encouraging religious discourse, Vance has frequently spoken about his faith in public. In a January interview with Fox News, he discussed the Catholic ordo amoris, or the proper order of love, a principle articulated by St. Thomas Aquinas.

In February, speaking with Republican strategist Mercedes Schlapp at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Vance emphasized a “fundamental tenet” of the Christian faith.

“I believe the fundamental tenet of the Christian faith … is that the Son of God became man, He died, and then He raised himself from the dead,” he said. “I think one lesson that flows from that is that we shouldn’t fear death… There are much more terrible things than just losing one’s life. And importantly, you could lose one’s soul.” 

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the Archbishop of New York, praised Trump in an interview with Fox News last December, reflecting on the President’s response to the July assassination attempt. 

There is a “newfound appreciation for the role of faith, especially in our country. I think President Trump tapped into that,” Dolan said. “I think the assassination attempts … renewed in him, ‘Oh my, there’s something beyond me that I think is watching over me and has got a task for me.’”

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