    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [April 2, 2005]
    [Page 550]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks on the Death of Pope John Paul II
    April 2, 2005

        Laura and I join people across the Earth in
    mourning the passing of Pope John Paul II. The Catholic Church has lost
    its shepherd. The world has lost a champion of human freedom, and a good
    and faithful servant of God has been called home.
        Pope John Paul II left the throne of Saint Peter in the same way he
    ascended to it, as a witness to the dignity of human life. In his native
    Poland, that witness launched a democratic revolution that swept Eastern
    Europe and changed the course of history. Throughout the West, John
    Paul's witness reminded us of our obligation to build a culture of life
    in which the strong protect the weak. And during the Pope's final years,
    his witness was made even more powerful by his daily courage in the face
    of illness and great suffering.
        All Popes belong to the world, but Americans had special reason to
    love the man from Krakow. In his visits to our country, the Pope spoke
    of our ``providential'' Constitution, the self-evident truths about
    human dignity in our Declaration, and the ``blessings of liberty'' that
    follow from them. ``It is these truths,'' he said, ``that have led
    people all over the world to look to America with hope and respect.''
        Pope John Paul II was, himself, an inspiration to millions of
    Americans and to so many more throughout the world. We will always
    remember the humble, wise, and fearless priest who became one of
    history's great moral leaders. We're grateful to God for sending such a
    man, a son of Poland, who became the Bishop of Rome and a hero for the
    ages.

    Note: The President spoke at 4:02 p.m. in the Cross Hall at the White
    House. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish
    language transcript of these remarks. The proclamation of April 2
    honoring the memory of Pope John Paul II is listed in Appendix D at the
    end of this volume.