Rep. Thaddeus McCotter Statement on White House Ceremony with Pope Benedict XVI

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, (R-MI-11), House Republican Policy Chairman, today attended a ceremony at the White House honoring Pope Benedict XVI.

“It was a blessing to be a part of the momentous occasion of Pope Benedict's visit to the White House.

“Like his predecessor, the Holy Father has struck a chord with the American people by serving as a humble servant of God, who is full of timeless wisdom.

“Pope Benedict reminded us how, during our earthly journey, we are compelled to promote the liberty and dignity of our fellow human beings. His message of renewal and hope touches people of all faiths and has a heartening effect for all humanity throughout our turbulent times.

“The Holy Father eloquently expressed the moral duty of public officials to serve the least of our brothers and sisters through a humane dialogue Founded upon faith and reason, the first principles upon which our free republic was founded.

People of all faiths should pray for the Holy Father; embrace his message of renewal and hope; and wish him a happy birthday.”

Papal Welcome Resolution by Rep. McCotter Passes Congress

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Republican House Policy Chairman, noted the passage of House Resolution 838 honoring His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first visit to the United States of America. The resolution, sponsored by Rep. McCotter, was unanimously passed this morning by the U.S. House of Representatives.

"Pope Benedict XVI's apostolic visit to the United States is a uniquely historical moment. It has been twenty nine years since the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican Head of State has visited the White House, and it is the first visit by Pope Benedict to the United States. All Americans should eagerly look forward to his message of hope and renewal."

Congressman McCotter will meet with His Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on April 16 during a White House visit. Washington D.C. is the Pope’s first stop during his inaugural visit to the United State of America.

NOTE: The full text of the H. Res. 838 is below


House Resolution 838

Welcoming His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first apostolic visit to the United States.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

DECEMBER 4, 2007


Mr. MCCOTTER submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs


RESOLUTION


Welcoming His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first apostolic visit to the United States.

Whereas Joseph Alois Ratzinger ascended to the Papacy and chose the name Benedict XVI on April 19, 2005, becoming the 265th reigning Pope in the history of the Roman Catholic Church;

Whereas he was born and baptized on April 16, 1927, in Marktl am Inn, Germany;

Whereas he was required to leave seminary at the age of 16 and forced into military service for Nazi Germany;

Whereas he risked grave danger by defecting from the Nazi anti-aircraft corps in 1945 and subsequently spent time in an Allied prisoner of war camp;

Whereas he was ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 1951;

Whereas he is a highly regarded theologian and scholar, having served in various university posts from 1959 until 1977;

Whereas he has written 25 books and given thousands of hours of lectures, making him one of the most prolific theologians in modern times

Whereas he participated as a theological advisor to the Second Vatican Council from 1962 until 1965;

Whereas he was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising in Germany on March 24, 1977, and ordained a bishop on May 28, 1977;

Whereas he was elevated to cardinal on June 27, 1977;

Whereas he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and President of the Pontifical Biblical Commission on November 25, 1981;

Whereas he was elected Dean of the College of Cardinals on November 27, 2002;

Whereas Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was installed as Bishop of Rome on April 24, 2005; Whereas Pope Benedict XVI has made repeated calls for peaceful resolutions to international conflicts;

Whereas Pope Benedict XVI has made reconciliation and peace an important goal of his Papacy on an ecumenical level reaching out to both Orthodox and Protestant Churches and in an inter-religious manner with Judaism and Islam;

Whereas Pope Benedict XVI has affirmed the dignity of the human person with respect to refugees, exiles, evacuees, and other migrant persons;

Whereas Pope Benedict XVI has decried the imminent dangers posed by terrorism and extremism; and

Whereas Pope Benedict XVI has identified the failed revolutions and violent ideologies of the 20th century as being the result of the ‘‘Dictatorship of Relativism’’:

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the United States House of Representatives welcomes His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first apostolic visit to the United States.

H.RES.838: Welcoming His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on his first apostolic visit to the United States.

Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank Chairman Berman, Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen, and all of the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee for bringing this resolution to the floor.

You know, I remember back when I was growing up there was a movie, and the movie was called ``A Hard Day's Night.'' This was at the height of Beatlemania, and the Beatles had obviously been wildly popular and well-received when they first hit our shores. And yet in the movie there is a scene where a reporter, seemingly unaware of this, asked John Lennon a question. And the question was this: ``How did you find America?''

And Lennon said, ``I turned left at Greenland.''

The point I bring this up for is quite simple. Today we hear many inane questions about how His Holiness will be received by the American people. How will America find the Pope? How will the Pope find America? Well, I think these questions are inane for a very simple reason: The United States understands the Holy Father because he advocates that we use faith and reason to find our way through these trying times and on to a transcendent Creator.

The United States, our revolutionary experiment in human freedom, was founded upon faith and reason. The Founders had the faith that they were playing a role in divine provenance, that they had rights that were endowed to them and inalienable by a Creator. And yet it was not passion alone that allowed for the founding of our free republic; they also used their reason to find their way to express how those rights could be guaranteed against government, and how individual citizens could live together
with their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This is no different than the message that the Holy Father brings today. The Holy Father has said that faith and reason are concomitant blessings from God which allow us to find him not only in ourselves but in each other.

So as Americans await the Pope's first visit, I am not saying that there will be teenyboppers dropping in the streets as the popemobile passes, but I do say His Holiness will receive a warm reception from people who have understood and who continue to understand that faith and reason are gifts from God we squander at our own peril.