Dolan to take part in Trump’s inauguration
Cardinal Timothy Dolan will be among a group of faith leaders taking part in next month’s swearing-in of President-elect Donald Trump, the Presidential Inaugural Committee said Wednesday.
The cardinal will offer readings and give the invocation at the Jan. 20 ceremony in Washington along with the Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Leadership Conference and Pastor Paula White of the New Destiny Christian Center in Apopka, Fla.
Other religious leaders — including Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Rev. Franklin Graham of The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Bishop Wayne T. Jackson of Great Faith Ministries International of Detroit — will also offer readings and give the benediction.
Trump and his wife, Melania, met with Dolan in October, just days before the Alfred Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Waldorf, where the cardinal sat between Trump and his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton.
“Since the first inaugural ceremony, our leaders have paid tribute to the blessings of liberty that have been bestowed upon our country and its people,” said committee chairman Tom Barrack. “I am pleased to announce that a diverse set of faith leaders will offer readings and prayers at the swearing-in of President-elect Trump and honor the vital role religious faith plays in our multicultural, vibrant nation.”
The following day, a National Prayer Service will be held at Washington National Cathedral and will include representatives of all religious faiths for a time of prayer and fellowship, the committee said, adding more details will be released in the coming weeks.