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U.S. President George W. Bush (L), first lady Laura Bush
(2nd L), and former Presidents George Bush (3rd R) and Bill
Clinton pay homage to Pope John Paul II while viewing the late
pontiff's body in the Vatican's St. Peter's Basilica, April 6,
2005. (REUTERS/Danilo Schiavella/Pool)
| | THE PRESIDENT:
Good morning.
This week I have been in Rome to attend the funeral mass of Pope John
Paul II. The ceremonies were a powerful and moving reminder of the
profound impact this Pope had on our world. And on behalf of America,
Laura and I were honored to pay tribute to this good and holy man.
During nearly three decades on the Chair of St. Peter, this Pope
brought the gospel's message of hope and love and freedom to the far
corners of the Earth. And over this past week, millions of people across
the world returned the Pope's gift with a tremendous outpouring of
affection that transcended differences of nationality, language and
religion.
The call to freedom that defined his papacy was forged
in the experiences of Pope John Paul's own life. He came to manhood during
the Nazi occupation of his beloved Poland, when he eluded the Gestapo to
attend an underground seminary. Later, when he was named Poland's youngest
bishop, he came face to face with the other great totalitarianism of the
20th century: Communism. And soon he taught the communist rulers in Warsaw
and Moscow that moral truth had legions of its own and a force greater
than their armies and secret police.
That moral conviction gave the man from Krakow a confidence that
inspired millions. In 1978, when he looked out at the crowd in front of
St. Peter's as their new Pope, the square rang with his words "Be Not
Afraid."
Everywhere he went, the Pope preached that the call of freedom is for
every member of the human family because the Author of Life wrote it into
our common human nature.
Many in the West underestimated the Pope's influence. But those behind
the Iron Curtain knew better, and ultimately even the Berlin Wall could
not withstand the gale force of this Polish Pope.
The Pope held a special affection for America. During his many visits
to our country, he spoke of our providential Constitution, the
self-evident truths about human dignity enshrined in our Declaration, and
the blessings of liberty that followed from them. It is these timeless
truths about man, enshrined in our founding, the Pope said, that have led
freedom-loving people around the world to look to America with hope and
respect. And he challenged America always to live up to its lofty calling.
The Pope taught us that the foundation for human freedom is a universal
respect for human dignity. On all his travels, John Paul preached that
even the least among us bears the image of our Creator, so we must work
for a society where the most vulnerable among us have the greatest claim
on our protection.
And by his own courageous example in the face of illness and suffering,
he showed us the path to a culture of life where the dignity of every
human person is respected, and human life at all its stages is revered and
treasured.
As the Pope grew physically weaker, his spiritual bond with young
people grew stronger. They flocked to him in his final moments, gathering
outside his window to pray and sing hymns and light candles. With them, we
honor this son of Poland who became the Bishop of Rome, and a hero for the
ages.
Thank you for listening.
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