Thursday, February 12, 2009

"...With Charity For All"

As the more history-minded among us are likely aware, today marks the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth.

To commemorate the bicentenary of the 16th President, Bishop Fran Malooly of Wilmington -- better known as the ordinary of the first Catholic to hold the nation's second-highest office -- released a pastoral letter on Lincoln earlier today.

Installed in September, the text is the well-regarded prelate's first major missive as head of the 280,000-member local church encompassing the First State and Maryland's Eastern Shore.

Its title taken from the Great Emancipator's first Inaugural Address, here's the pastoral in full:

For further reference, the above-mentioned Litany to St Thomas More can be found here.

-30-