I am Protestant, but I really like the Pope, “our” Pope ;-) and I hope he has a great birthday today.
President Bush Welcomes His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to White House:
PRESIDENT BUSH: 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. (…)
Here in America, you’ll find a nation that is fully modern, yet guided by ancient and eternal truths. The United States is the 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. (…)
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. (Applause.)
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.” (…)
POPE BENEDICT XVI: Mr. President, thank you for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I deeply appreciate your invitation to visit this great country. (…)
Freedom is not only a gift, but also a summons to personal responsibility. Americans know this from experience — almost every town in this country has its monuments honoring those who sacrificed their lives in defense of freedom, both at home and abroad. The preservation of freedom calls for the cultivation of virtue, self-discipline, sacrifice for the common good, and a sense of responsibility towards the less fortunate. It also demands the courage to engage in civic life and to bring one’s deepest beliefs and values to reasoned public debate.
In a word, freedom is ever new. It is a challenge held out to each generation, and it must constantly be won over for the cause of good. Few have understood this as clearly as the late Pope John Paul II. In reflecting on the spiritual victory of freedom over totalitarianism in his native Poland and in Eastern Europe, he reminded us that history shows time and again that “in a world without truth, freedom loses its foundation,” and a democracy without values can lose its very soul. Those prophetic words in some sense echo the conviction of President Washington, expressed in his Farewell Address, that religion and morality represent “indispensable supports” of political prosperity. (…)
And what does Spiegel Online make out of this?
“The Cowboy and the Shepherd” by Alexander Schwabe, April 16, 2008:
The one relies on prayer, the other on military force, but US President George W. Bush and Pope Benedict XVI are bosom buddies. On many issues, they are on the same page — and together they battle the relativists. (…)
Indeed, Benedict is visiting a country where religion belongs to the basic pillars of society. At the same time, the shepherd from Rome and the rancher from Texas are two entirely different characters: On the one side, you have a subtle intellect, who likes to write witty books and listen to Mozart; and on the other you have a roughneck who prefers to wear cowboy- boots, hats and blue jeans held up with a belt and an oversized buckle. (…)
If Germans call somebody a “cowboy” it is usually not meant as a compliment. But I like cowboys …
And I like the e-mail Robin Hood im Schwarzwald has written to Spiegel Online: “The Cowboy and the Shepherd”
Thank you, Cowboy!