    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book I)]
    [April 16, 2008]
    [Pages 503-504]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Welcoming Ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI
    April 16, 2008

        Holy Father, Laura and I are privileged to
    have you here at the White House. We welcome you with the ancient words
    commended by Saint Augustine: Pax tecum. Peace be with you.
        You've chosen to visit America on your birthday. Well, birthdays are
    traditionally spent with close friends, so our entire Nation is moved
    and honored that you've decided to share this special day with us. We
    wish you much health and happiness today and for many years to come.
        This is your first trip to the United States since you ascended to
    the Chair of Saint Peter. You will visit two of our greatest cities and
    meet countless Americans, including many who have traveled from across
    the country to see with you and to share in the joy of this visit. Here
    in America, you'll find a nation of prayer. Each day, millions of our
    citizens approach our Maker on bended knee, seeking His grace and giving
    thanks for the many blessings He bestows upon us. Millions of Americans
    have been praying for your visit, and millions look forward to praying
    with you this week.
        Here in America, you'll find a nation of compassion. Americans
    believe that the measure of a free society is how we treat the weakest
    and most vulnerable among us. So each day, citizens across America
    answer to the universal call to feed the hungry and comfort the sick and
    care for the infirm. Each day, across the world, the United States is
    working to eradicate disease, alleviate poverty, promote peace, and
    bring the light of hope to places still mired in the darkness of tyranny
    and despair.
        Here in America, you'll find a nation that welcomes the role of
    faith in the public square. 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. 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.
        Here in America, you'll find a nation that is fully modern, yet
    guided by ancient and eternal truths. The United States is the

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    most innovative, creative, and dynamic country on Earth. It is also
    among the most religious. In our Nation, faith and reason coexist in
    harmony. This is one of our country's greatest strengths and one of the
    reasons that our land remains a beacon of hope and opportunity for
    millions across the world.
        Most of all, Holy Father, you will find in America people whose
    hearts are open to your message of hope. And America and the world need
    this message.
        In a world where some invoke the name of God to justify acts of
    terror and murder and hate, we need your message that God is love. And
    embracing this love is the surest way to save men from falling prey to
    the teaching of fanaticism and terrorism.
        In a world where some treat life as something to be debased and
    discarded, we need your message that all human life is sacred and that
    ``each of us is willed, each of us is loved''--[applause]--and your
    message that ``each of us is willed, each of us is loved, [and] each of
    us is necessary.''
        In a world where some no longer believe that we can distinguish
    between simple right and wrong, we need your message to reject this
    dictatorship of relativism and embrace a culture of justice and truth.
        In a world where some see freedom as simply the right to do as they
    wish, we need your message that true liberty requires us to live our
    freedom not just for ourselves but in a spirit of mutual support.
        Holy Father, thank you for making this journey to America. Our
    Nation welcomes you. We appreciate the example you set for the world,
    and we ask that you always keep us in your prayers.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:38 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White
    House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also
    included the remarks of Pope Benedict XVI. The Office of the Press
    Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.