A Petition of Support from Pennsylvania Catholics to Senator Joe Biden

We are writing as committed Catholics – Democrats and Republicans, public figures and theologians, lay and religious women and men, advocates and practitioners – to express our pride and our full support behind Joe Biden as Senator Obama’s vice presidential nominee for the Democratic Party.

It wasn’t always the case that Catholics could fully participate in American political life, even though Catholics have played a crucial role throughout American history. Catholics have worked tirelessly to feed, clothe and educate millions of Americans and people around the world; they fought in World War II to help defeat fascism; and Catholic nuns and priests marched with so many others in Selma.

Today, all Americans and especially Catholics should be proud to have Joe Biden on this historic ticket. This election is about the American people, many of whom are struggling to pay for the basics, keep their homes and send their kids to college. Many are hurting. This election is also about restoring America’s leadership in a world facing increasing challenges to our common security, basic freedoms and human dignity that is constantly degraded by poverty and conflict. We truly are at a defining moment in our history; and we believe that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the right ticket to lead us in a new direction.

Joe Biden was born in Scranton, PA and grew up in an Irish Catholic family with little means, the son of a car salesman, and overcame early struggles to become a champion of working-class families. As a United States Senator he continues to fight for working families, affordable college education, equal pay for women, and a principled American foreign policy. Joe has shown a profound love of country and a commitment to living out his faith in serving others. It is no wonder that Senator Obama, who began his career working as an organizer with Catholic parishes and other faith communities on the South Side of Chicago, chose Joe Biden.

While we may not agree on every issue, we see in Joe Biden a person of deep faith who has spent decades fighting for those struggling to make ends meet. We see in him a leader who is ready to become president, and a capable partner who will help Senator Obama form a more perfect union. He offers much to our informed consciences, and we commend him to our fellow Catholics.

The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher. Some will try to use religion to drive a wedge and scare voters this fall. Thankfully, many more of us are joining the thousands of other Catholic supporters and people of all faiths coming together to mobilize one of the largest grassroots networks of any campaign in history.

Please sign on to add your support for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, forward to your friends and family, and join in this historic movement for change.