For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 21, 2001
Remarks by the President to Cardinals, Bishops and Catholic Leaders
The East Room
5:18 P.M. EST
THE
PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much for that warm reception,
and welcome to the White House -- the people's house. It is
such an honor to live here, and it's an honor to receive you
all. And I look forward to thanking you in person for
coming.
It's also a
high honor for me to be on the podium with so many outstanding leaders
of faith. I've had the honor of meeting many of the
cardinals who are here, and many of the bishops and archbishops from
around the country. I've been struck by how humble the good
folks are; how there's a universal love for mankind and a deep concern
for those who are not as fortunate as some of us. The
Catholic Church is fortunate to have such strong, capable, decent
leadership. And America is fortunate to have such strong
leaders in our midst.
I want to
thank the cardinals and bishops who are here, and thank you for your
service and love for your fellow mankind.
I've been
struck by a lot of things as I've had the opportunity to meet the
leadership of the Catholic Church. I think the thing that
has captured my heart the most is the not only universal care for the
weak and the suffering, but also the strong focus on making sure every
child is educated.
And for
those of you who are involved with the education system in America,
thank you for your hard work. For those of you who are the
administrators, thanks for providing great education. For
those who give your hard-earned dollars to support the education
systems around America, please continue to do
so. (Laughter.) Isn't that right, Bishop?
(Laughter.) It's an incredibly important part of the mosaic
of a hopeful tomorrow.
I also
appreciate the prayers of many of my fellow Americans. Many times
layman and leader alike says, Mr. President, we pray for you, and for
that I'm most grateful. It does remind me that I think
there's a great awakening in America; people are rediscovering the
inspiration of faith in their lives, and the importance of faith in our
society. Faith gives our lives dignity, and faith gives our
lives direction. Faith makes our nation more just and more
generous, and welcoming.
All of you
are part of the humanizing mission which is part of the "great
commission" and the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, which we will
dedicate tomorrow, will bring this message to generations of Americans
in this capital of our nation. The best way to honor Pope
John Paul II, truly one of the great men, is to take his teaching
seriously; is to listen to his words and put his words and teachings
into action here in America. This is a challenge we must accept.
But you
know something about our country? With the right focus and
the right leadership, it's a challenge this nation will accept, because
this is a great land. The greatness of the country lies in
the hearts and souls of our citizens. And again, I want to
thank those of you who inspire and teach love and compassion and hope.
God bless
you all. (Applause.)
END 5:22
P.M. EST
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