Pope Benedict XVI sent a personal message to President-elect Barack Obama yesterday, congratulating him and offering his prayers for Obama and for all the people of the United States.

Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, Vatican spokesman, said the pope congratulated President Elect Obama, his wife and family, and "assured him of his prayers that God would help him with his high responsibilities for his country and for the international community." The pope also prayed that "the blessing of God would sustain him and the American people so that with all people of good will they could build a world of peace, solidarity and justice." Asked if the pope mentioned any specific issues he was concerned about, Father Lombardi responded, "peace, solidarity and justice." The message to Obama was sent through the office of Mary Ann Glendon, the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, also sent a message of congratulations. Plans are already underway at the Vatican to send a formal message for the Inauguration in January in addition to the Holy Father's personal message of yesterday. In past years, the Vatican custom has been that the pope congratulates a new U.S. president only when he formally takes office, so there was great appreciation for the Holy Father taking the special step of sending a personal message of good wishes.

Others joined with the Holy Father and Cardinal Betrone in sending positive messages about the election. The Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, headlined a very positive commentary saluting the President Elect, entitled "A choice that unites." Vatican Radio called the election of Obama a "historic day" for the United States. Asianews, a Rome-based missionary news agency, ran under the headline: "I'm happy for the victory of Barack Obama." Written by Father Piero Gheddo, a member of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, the commentary listed three reasons for satisfaction at the result:-- Obama will give a positive impression of the United States at a time when "America is seen in a bad light and even hated throughout the world."-- The election of the first black U.S. president offers a lesson on racial equality, especially for Europe. It is an extraordinarily encouraging sign for black people around the world, who have often faced humiliation, it said.