[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 43, Number 51 (Monday, December 24, 2007)]
[Page 1612]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Following a Visit to the Little Sisters of the Poor's Jeanne 
Jugan Residence

December 18, 2007

    Listen, thank you all for welcoming us. Laura and I are honored to 
be with you. Sister, thanks for your hospitality, and more importantly, 
thank you for showing the Nation what is possible when people with 
loving hearts reach out to a neighbor in need. It is easy to feel the 
great compassion of the sisters here in this hall as you help make 
somebody else's Christmas a joyous time of celebration.
    First, there are volunteers here in the community who have taken 
time out of their busy schedules to volunteer to help somebody. And 
that's one of the messages of the Christmas season: that I hope our 
fellow citizens reach out and find a neighbor in need, find out somebody 
who needs a loving pat on the back, or somebody who could use a little 
help in learning how to read, or an elderly citizen who wants to know 
that somebody cares for them. It doesn't take much effort; it takes a 
little prioritization. And during a season in which we count our 
blessings, I would hope those of us who are blessed help somebody else.
    And there's no better place to come to see that happening than right 
here. The Little Sisters of the Poor are renown for their great hearts 
and wonderful compassion. Isn't that right, Archbishop? [Laughter]
    And so Laura and I are thrilled to be here with you all. I do want 
to thank the volunteers--high school students, some going to the schools 
nearby, some home-schooled, who have heard the universal call to love a 
neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself.
    I want to thank you all for making cards for our troops in harm's 
way. As I worked the tables, I was most thankful that people here said 
that they pray for our troops, the safety of our troops. And so do I. 
And so does Laura. And one way to let our troops know that people care 
deeply about their safety and their well-being is to send them a 
Christmas card, which you all are fixing to do here. So I thank you for 
that as well.
    I finally want to thank our musician. [Laughter] The man hadn't lost 
a step. [Laughter] Thank you, sir, for your beautiful--I particularly 
liked ``The Eyes of Texas.''
    And so we say to you all, Merry Christmas. May God continue to bless 
you. May God continue to bless the United States of America. Thank you 
for your hospitality.

Note: The President spoke at 10:53 a.m. In his remarks, he referred to 
Mother Benedict de la Passion (Armstrong), Superior and president of the 
Jeanne Jugan Residence, Little Sisters of the Poor; Donald W. Wuerl, 
Archbishop of Washington; and Joe Dignazio, resident, Little Sisters of 
the Poor.