    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [April 13, 2007]
    [Pages 411-413]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast
    April 13, 2007

        Thank you all. Please be seated. Good morning. Good morning. Thank
    you. It's good to be with you. You know how to make a Methodist feel
    right at home. [Laughter] I noticed that this year's breakfast was the
    Friday after Lent--[laughter]--you can eat your bacon in good
    conscience--[laughter]--and the priests can relax. [Laughter]
        I appreciate the opportunity to be with you; I really do. I thank
    you for having this prayer breakfast. Prayer breakfasts show the true
    strength of our Nation. I am honored that people say to me and
    Laura, ``We pray for you.'' It means a lot. A
    prayerful nation is a strong nation. A prayerful nation is a nation the
    true strength of which lies in the hearts of the men and women of our
    Nation.
        Our Declaration of Independence states that our freedom rests on
    self-evident truths about the dignity of the human person. Throughout
    our Nation's history, Catholic Americans have embraced, sustained, and
    given their lives to defend these truths. This morning we give thanks
    for the blessings of freedom, and we ask Almighty God to guide us as we
    renew our founding promise of liberty and justice for all.
        I'm sorry Laura couldn't be here. She is by
    far the best representative of our family. Thank you for praying for
    her.
        I appreciate my friend Leonard Leo for
    inviting me. I thank the leaders of the National Catholic Prayer
    Breakfast. I'm honored to be in the presence of Archbishop Donald
    Wuerl. I have known the Archbishop for quite
    a while. I appreciate his strong and firm dedication to making sure
    every child in America gets a good education. I am proud to be here with
    Archbishop Sambi, the Apostolic Nuncio to the
    United States. I appreciate the members of the Catholic clergy. I am
    honored to be here with two members of our Supreme Court, the Chief
    Justice, John Roberts, and Justice Sam
    Alito.
        I thank the members of my administration who have joined us,
    particularly our Cabinet Secretary of the Department of Veterans
    Affairs, Jim Nicholson, and
    Suzanne. Thank you for joining us.

    [[Page 412]]

        I am in awe of people like Corporal Michael Blair, United States Marine Corps. I thank the members of
    our Armed Services who are here today. I appreciate the Members of
    Congress who have joined us. Thanks for letting me come by to say hello.
    [Laughter]
        Of the 56 men who signed our Declaration of Independence, only one
    was a Catholic: Charles Carroll. In 1776, Carroll was one of the
    wealthiest men in America. But because he was a Catholic, he could not
    vote or hold public office in his native Maryland. John Adams noted that
    Carroll's wealth and patriotism marked him for special vengeance if the
    Revolution were to fail. That is why when Carroll added his name to the
    Declaration, one bystander quipped: ``There goes a few million.''
    [Laughter]
        Carroll was willing to risk those millions because he knew that
    something far more precious was at stake: freedom. He believed that the
    self-evident truths of our Declaration would lead to religious as well
    as civil liberty. He knew that an America where people were free to
    worship God as they saw fit would be a land where Catholics would
    flourish and prosper. And he understood that whatever America's
    failings, our founding promise would always be a source of hope and
    renewal for our country. And at this breakfast, we commit ourselves to
    renewing that promise in our time.
        Renewing the promise of America begins with upholding the dignity of
    human life. In our day, there is a temptation to manipulate life in ways
    that do not respect the humanity of the person. When that happens, the
    most vulnerable among us can be valued for their utility to others,
    instead of their own inherent worth. We must continue to work for a
    culture of life, where the strong protect the weak and where we
    recognize in every human life the image of our Creator.
        Renewing the promise of America requires good citizens who look out
    for their neighbors. One of the reasons that I am such a strong believer
    in the power of our faith-based institutions is that they add something
    the government never can, and that is love. Pope Benedict the XVI put it this way in his first letter as a Pope:
    ``There is no ordering of the state so just that it can eliminate the
    need for a service of love.'' In parishes and neighborhoods across our
    Nation, Catholics take this call to heart, and that is why we find so
    many of you leading the armies of compassion. You are changing America
    one heart, one soul at a time, and I thank you.
        Renewing the promise of America also includes ensuring a sound
    education for every single child. America's Catholic schools play a
    vital role in our Nation. The schools were built by poor immigrants.
    They were staffed by legions of dedicated nuns and brothers and priests,
    and they have given millions of Americans the knowledge and character
    they need to succeed in life. Today, these schools are also serving
    thousands of non-Catholic children in some of our Nation's poorest
    neighborhoods. I appreciate the tremendous sacrifices that many dioceses
    are making to keep their inner-city schools going. I am worried that too
    many of these schools are closing, and our Nation needs to do something
    about it.
        This afternoon I'll hold a meeting at the White House to discuss the
    difference America's parochial schools are making in the lives of some
    of our neediest children. We see that difference right here in the
    Nation's Capital. Pam Battle sat with
    Laura during my State of the Union Address. She's
    a mom of two: Carlos and Calvin. A few years ago, these boys were in a public school
    that was not meeting Pam's expectations. We passed what's called the DC
    School Choice Incentive Act. Many of you in this room helped get that
    act passed. As a result of that act, her boys were able to transfer to
    Assumption Catholic School, a parochial school that serves an almost
    entirely African American student body.

    [[Page 413]]

        Carlos became an A-student and president
    of his eighth grade class. He now attends high school at Georgetown Day.
    Calvin is a fifth-grader at Assumption; I'm
    told that he's running for ``Student of the Month.'' [Laughter]
    Something I never achieved. [Laughter]
        Pam has a big smile on her face when she
    comes to talk about the education her
    boys are receiving. ``The main benefit of this
    program is that I can drop off my sons at school with peace of mind.
    It's safe, and I know they are working up to their level.'' That's what
    Pam said. I believe every parent in America should have that same peace
    of mind and every school in America should ensure that its students are
    working up to their fullest of potentials. I applaud our Nation's
    Catholic schools. I will continue to work to help these schools reach
    more children in need so that our children have the skills they need to
    realize the full promise of the United States of America.
        Finally, to realize the promise of America, we must have
    comprehensive immigration reform that enforces our laws and upholds the
    dignity of every single person in the United States. And now is the time
    for the United States Congress to get a bill to my desk that I can sign.
        I thank you for your fine tradition. I applaud you for the love
    you--of neighbor you show through your organizations and your churches.
    I ask that you pray for our soldiers and their families in harm's way.
    And I ask that you pray that in a troubled world, America may always
    remain a beacon of hope and of freedom.
        May God bless you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:43 a.m. at the Washington Hilton Hotel.
    In his remarks, he referred to Leonard A. Leo, member, Board of
    Directors, National Catholic Prayer Breakfast; and Archbishop of
    Washington Donald W. Wuerl.