Following is a statement by Dennis Poust, executive director of the New York State Catholic Conference:

“While many New Yorkers are celebrating the results of yesterday’s midterm election, others are disappointed that their preferred candidates did not prevail. What can unite us all, however, is immense gratitude for the gift of our great American democracy, which puts the power to elect our leaders in the hands of we, the people.

“We congratulate all the winners, in particular our statewide elected officials – Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, and Lt. Gov.-elect Adrienne Adams. We also congratulate all of those who won their congressional and state legislative races. For those who were not victorious or lost their seats, we send our gratitude for your willingness to serve the people of our state and nation.

“We assure all elected officials of our daily prayers and urge them to always prioritize the needs of the weakest among us, to provide for the poor and vulnerable, to defend life from conception until natural death, to welcome the immigrant and refugee, to ensure the provision of health care and other basic human needs to all, to empower parents to direct the education of their children, to protect our citizens from crime and violence, and to seek peace in our in our neighborhoods, our state, our nation and our world.”