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Bringing renewal and hope
for U.S. Catholics and all people of goodwill
At noon on Tuesday, 15 April [2008],
the Holy Father left Rome's Fiumicino airport on an Alitalia flight
bound for Washington, D.C., on his first Papal Visit to the United
States. He arrived in the afternoon at Andrews Air Force Base.
Archbishop Piero Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio in the U.S.A., went on board to
greet the Pope, who was welcomed as he departed the plane by U.S.
President George Bush and the First Lady, Mrs Laura Bush. After a brief
private conversation with them the Pope was driven to the Apostolic
Nunciature where he was staying.
The following morning, Wednesday, 16
April, the Pope's 81st birthday, he celebrated Mass privately in the
Nunciature Chapel before paying a courtesy Visit to the White House for
the Welcome Ceremony.
The Pope was met by the president and
First Lady, who accompanied him to the South Lawn of the White House.
Participating in the addition to the political and civil Authorities
were the U.S. Cardinals, the heads of the United States Catholic
Bishops' Conference and various other bishops. Military honours and
hymns were followed by the President's speech.
The Holy Father then addressed those
present. Afterwards he took part in a private meeting in the Oval
Office.
The following is the Pope's Discourse
for the occasion.
Mr. President,
Thank you for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of the people of
the United States of America. I deeply appreciate your invitation to
visit this great country. My visit coincides with an important moment in
the life of the Catholic community in America: the celebration of the
two-hundredth anniversary of the elevation of the country’s first
Diocese — Baltimore
— to a metropolitan Archdiocese, and the
establishment of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and
Louisville. Yet I am happy to be here as a guest of all Americans. I
come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect
for this vast pluralistic society. America’s Catholics have made, and
continue to make, an excellent contribution to the life of their
country. As I begin my visit, I trust that my presence will be a source
of renewal and hope for the Church in the United States, and strengthen
the resolve of Catholics to contribute ever more responsibly to the life
of this nation, of which they are proud to be citizens.
From the dawn of the Republic, America’s quest for freedom has been
guided by the conviction that the principles governing political and
social life are intimately linked to a moral order based on the dominion
of God the Creator. The framers of this nation’s founding documents drew
upon this conviction when they proclaimed the "self-evident truth" that
all men are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights grounded
in the laws of nature and of nature’s God. The course of American
history demonstrates the difficulties, the struggles, and the great
intellectual and moral resolve which were demanded to shape a society
which faithfully embodied these noble principles. In that process, which
forged the soul of the nation, religious beliefs were a constant
inspiration and driving force, as for example in the struggle against
slavery and in the civil rights movement. In our time too, particularly
in moments of crisis, Americans continue to find their strength in a
commitment to this patrimony of shared ideals and aspirations.
Virtue, discipline, sacrifice
In the next few days, I look forward to meeting not only with America’s
Catholic community, but with other Christian communities and
representatives of the many religious traditions present in this
country. Historically, not only Catholics, but all believers have found
here the freedom to worship God in accordance with the dictates of their
conscience, while at the same time being accepted as part of a
commonwealth in which each individual and group can make its voice
heard. As the nation faces the increasingly complex political and
ethical issues of our time, I am confident that the American people will
find in their religious beliefs a precious source of insight and an
inspiration to pursue reasoned, responsible and respectful dialogue in
the effort to build a more humane and free society.
Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal
responsibility. Americans know this from experience
— almost every town
in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their
lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation
of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline,
sacrifice for the common good and a sense of responsibility towards the
less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and
to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate. In
a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each
generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good
(cf. Spe Salvi, 24). Few have understood this as clearly as the late
Pope John Paul II. In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom
over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in eastern Europe, he
reminded us that history shows, time and again, that "in a world without
truth, freedom loses its foundation", and a democracy without values can
lose its very soul (cf. Centesimus Annus, 46). Those prophetic words in
some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his
Farewell Address, that religion and morality represent "indispensable
supports" of political prosperity.
The Church, for her part, wishes to contribute to building a world ever
more worthy of the human person, created in the image and likeness of
God (cf. Gen 1:26-27). She is convinced that faith sheds new light on
all things, and that the Gospel reveals the noble vocation and sublime
destiny of every man and woman (cf. Gaudium et Spes, 10). Faith also
gives us the strength to respond to our high calling, and the hope that
inspires us to work for an ever more just and fraternal society.
Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realized, when
political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth and
bring the wisdom born of firm moral principle to decisions affecting the
life and future of the nation.
For well over a century, the United States of America has played an
important role in the international community. On Friday, God willing, I
will have the honor of addressing the United Nations Organization, where
I hope to encourage the efforts under way to make that institution an
ever more effective voice for the legitimate aspirations of all the
world’s peoples. On this, the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the need for global solidarity is as urgent
as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity
— as
brothers and sisters dwelling in the same house and around that table
which God’s bounty has set for all his children. America has
traditionally shown herself generous in meeting immediate human needs,
fostering development and offering relief to the victims of natural
catastrophes. I am confident that this concern for the greater human
family will continue to find expression in support for the patient
efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote
progress. In this way, coming generations will be able to live in a
world where truth, freedom and justice can flourish
— a world where the
God-given dignity and rights of every man, woman and child are
cherished, protected and effectively advanced.
Mr. President, dear friends: as I begin my visit to the United States, I
express once more my gratitude for your invitation, my joy to be in your
midst, and my fervent prayers that Almighty God will confirm this nation
and its people in the ways of justice, prosperity and peace. God bless
America!
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