The two leaders attended a lavish ceremony Wednesday, April 16, at the White House, where the 81-year-old pope was greeted by the peal of trumpets and a 21-gun salute, and treated to a rendition of "Happy Birthday" by the crowd.
Pope Benedict XVI is only the second pontiff to visit the White House, and some 9,000 people, including senators and other Washington celebrities, crowded the South Lawn for the meeting, which saw the secular blending with the religious; a soprano singing the Lord’s Prayer.
Visibly moved, the pope said in his speech that political leaders are guided by truth and wisdom. Benedict XVI called for “support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress” around the world.
CHRISTIAN FAITH
President Bush, who has made his own Christian faith a central tenet of his life, stressed the need for religious freedom and respect for moral values. "When our founders declared our nation’s independence, they rested their case on an appeal to the ‘laws of nature, and of nature’s God.’ We believe in religious liberty," he said.
"We also believe that a love for freedom and a common moral law are written into every human heart, and that these constitute the firm foundation on which any successful free society must be built."
The president told the pontiff that, "Here in America you’ll find a nation that welcomes the role of faith in the public square."
After the gathering the two leaders met privately for discussions expected to also focus on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
IRAQ WAR
The Vatican has been highly critical of the war in Iraq, but both leaders agree on pro-life issues, such as their criticism of abortion. Yet, the pontiff comes at a challenging time as he is under pressure to address the sexual abuse of thousands of children by US Roman Catholic priests across the country.
On the flight to America, Pope Benedict told reporters he felt deep shame over the scandal. The church has paid $2 billion in compensation to the victims and removed hundreds of priests.
Later Wednesday, April 16, the pope was to meet some 300 American bishops at a basilica in Washington, D.C, where the scandal was likely to be discussed.
He was also to hold open-air Masses in Washington and New York during his six-day visit. The leader of over one billion Catholics will also address leaders of Catholic colleges, speak at the United Nations, and visit the site of the former World Trade Center, which was destroyed by a terrorist attack in 2001. (With BosNewsLife’s Stefan J. Bos and reports from Washington).
