"With leaders that only add fuel to these fires, our country is searching desperately for anyone to pour mercy and humanity to cool the flames that are destroying our society," he continued. "We are all in need of hope and healing after years of being disheartened and disparaged. We are in need more than ever to be united regardless of our race, religion, and even our political affiliations."
The event also included several musical performances, as well as statements of support from members of Believers for Biden.
Biden has spoken about his Catholic faith on the campaign trail, and is known to attend Mass when he is at home in Delaware and when he travels. In comments earlier this month, he called his Catholic faith the "bedrock foundation" of his life. He has said that Pope Francis and religious sisters inspired his presidential bid.
But the former vice president's positions on some issues, most notably abortion and sexual orientation/gender identity policy, have put him at odds with Catholic teaching.
Biden has pledged to codify Roe v. Wade and voiced support for taxpayer funding of abortion, both in the U.S. and overseas.
As he campaigned for the Democratic nomination last year, he shifted his views on abortion funding, moving from publicly supporting the Hyde Amendment--which prohibits the use of Medicaid funds for most abortions--to pledging to repeal it if he were to be elected president.
In July, a group of 115 Christian leaders, including Bishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky and other Catholic clergy, religious, and laity, signed a letter to the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Platform Committee, asking the party to support pro-life policies including "legal protection for pre-born children."
"We call upon you to recognize the inviolable human dignity of the child, before and after birth," the letter stated, asking for a rejection of "a litmus test on pro-life people of faith seeking office in the Democratic Party."
Biden has also drawn criticism for pledging to reinstate an Obama-era policy that would force the Little Sisters of the Poor to offer employee health insurance plans that violate their consciences by providing birth control, sterilizations, and abortifacient drugs to their employees.