By Angela E. Pometto
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/26/05)

"This year the president, next year the pope," said Austin Ruse, president of the Culture of Life Foundation and vice president of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, held last Friday at the Hilton Washington Hotel.

The room of 1,600 Catholics welcomed President George W. Bush with open arms.

"We Catholics are also called to be faithful citizens," said Washington Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. He recalled the image of several U.S. presidents kneeling before the body of Pope John Paul II, and said that it shows they respect faith.

"We are very blessed in President Bush," Cardinal McCarrick said.

Leonard Leo, board member of National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, commended Bush for his active dedication to the culture of life.

"So many Catholics have gratitude for all that you’ve done for this country," Leo said.

Bush commended the participants for gathering to pray that America would use its freedom to build a culture of life. He explained that Laura could not attend because she was on her way to Jordan, Egypt and Israel.

"She would join me in thanking you … for your countless prayers," he said, adding that as leader of a nation, he knows that people of all religions pray for him. "It gives me such peace of mind and enables me to do my job much better when I’m lifted up in prayer. Thank you for your prayers."

The president thanked the key board members and others who organized the breakfast.

Bush pointed to the long history of Catholic Americans. George Washington addressed a letter to all Catholics thanking them for their work during the Revolution, he said.

"I’m honored to stand before you to offer my gratitude for the work American Catholic sons and daughters are doing for our nation," he said. Bush specifically mentioned the work of Catholics through faith-based initiatives to help the poor and children through Catholic schools, especially in inner-city locations.

"Freedom rests on the self-evident truths about human dignity," he said, praising the Church for its support of democracy.

"Catholics have made sacrifices throughout American history because they understand that freedom is a divine gift that carries with it serious responsibilities," Bush said, including the duty to protect the most vulnerable within society.

"That was the message that Pope John Paul II proclaimed so tirelessly throughout his own life," he said. "The best way to honor this great champion of human freedom is to continue to build a culture of life where the strong protect the weak."

Before ending, Bush asked the assembly to continue to support him through prayer. "May God bless you all and may God continue to bless America," he said.

According to Joe Cella, president of the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast, the event was established in response to John Paul II’s call to engage the faith and begin a new evangelization.

The day began at 6:30 a.m. with rosary and Mass celebrated by San Antonio Archbishop Jose Gomez. The chapel space that seated 700 was completely filled. The archbishop was accompanied by five fellow bishops, including Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde, and nearly 20 priests, including Fathers Matthew Zuberbueler and Chris Pollard.

Throughout the Mass, the archbishop encouraged participants to continue praying for the Church in America.

There were two video presentations during the morning’s events. The first focused on the life of Pope John Paul II, and the second a photo story of the life of Pope Benedict XVI. Both videos were produced by the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center and were well-received.

Little Sister of the Poor Sister Margaret Mary addressed the participants about her order that specializes in caring for the elderly poor in the footsteps of Blessed Jeanne Jugan.

Denver Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., gave the keynote address, saying "It’s not often that a speaker has the president of the United States as a warm-up."

Archbishop Chaput said that every person in the country should feel part of national public life.

"One of the most important duties we have is to use our gifts in every way possible for the glory of God and for the common good," he said. "That’s why Catholics and other Christians have always taken an active role in public life."

The archbishop admonished the tendency to strip religion away from politics and to divorce personal convictions from public choices. He pointed to politicians and voters who claim to be "Catholic" but refuse to defend the sanctity of the human person.

"If God is the center of our lives, then of course that fact will influence our behavior, including our political decisions," he said. "To cut God out of the public square is to cut the head and heart from our public life."

Referring to the readings from Pentecost Sunday, Archbishop Chaput also called participants to remember that only Jesus is Lord.

"Our political parties — whether Democratic or Republican — are not ‘Lord.’ Congress is not ‘Lord.’ The Supreme Court is not ‘Lord.’ And neither are we ‘Lord,’" he said.

The archbishop said that Catholics should be angry about what is wrong with the world such as the "killing of millions of unborn children through abortion, the neglect of the poor and elderly, the mistreatment of immigrants in our midst, the abuse of science in embryonic stem cell research." These things should anger Catholics to action, he said.

"Renewing our hearts — that’s where we begin. Renewing the world — that’s our goal. Reclaiming the fire and courage of Pentecost — that’s how we’ll get there," he said. "When our actions finally follow our words, then so will our nation, and so will the world."