President Bush spoke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast at the Hilton in Washington D.C. which was held on Friday, April 13th, 2007. The event was attended by an estimated 1500 people. NationalProLifeRadio.net and ProLifeNews.tv were there to film the event. We also did an interview with Judy Brown, a founder and the head of the American Life League, a Pro-Life organization based out of Stafford Virginia.
At the end of the President’s speech, a protester screamed out “disgusting! you disgust me!”, as she was escorted out of the room I believe she yelled out anti-war (Iraq) comments as well.
The National Catholic Prayer Breakfast is an annual event that was conceived “in response to the call of Pope John Paul the Great for a “New Evangelization, new in order, methods and expression.” We gather from across the United States of America for worship and fellowship. We gather to thank Our Lord for his abundant blessings upon this Land. We reaffirm our faith in Him and renew our dedication to this great Republic”.
Corporal Michael Blair, USMC, led the Pledge of Allegiance. Corporal Blair was injured in Iraq and is currently undergoing rehabilitation at Bethesda Naval hospital. An appreciative and patriotic audience gave Corporal Blair a standing ovation for almost a full minute. You can see this part of the breakfast in the video of president Bush down below.
In reference to Corporal Blair’s appearance, President Bush said “I am in awe of people like Corporal Michael Blair, United States Marine Corps. (Applause.) I thank the members of our Armed Services who are here today.”
President Bush spoke for about 15 minutes and discussed a variety of topics, among them education, the importance of religion in America and the sanctity of life.
Here are some excerpts from his speech:
“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’s 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. (applause) 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.(applause)”
President Bush has spoken out frequently for the sanctity of life in opposition to abortion, embryonic stem cell research and human killing research in general.
Speaking in support of faith based institutions, President Bush said “The reason that I am a believer in the power of faith based institutions is that they add something the government never can, and that is love.”
Below are parts one and two of President Bush’s speech
Click the play button in each video to watch President Bush’s speech.
Posted by News at 02:10 PM. Filed under: Multimedia • Video • Events • Washington D.C. • Issues • Abortion • News • Pro-Life On The Road •