-BEFORE YOU CONSIDER THE TERM OF REFERENCE BELOW, TO SEE MY INTEREST IN THIS MATTER IN THE PROPER CONTEXT TAKE A BRIEF SIDESTEP HERE.-BEFORE YOU CONSIDER THE TERM OF REFERENCE BELOW, TO SEE MY INTEREST IN THIS MATTER IN THE PROPER CONTEXT TAKE A BRIEF SIDESTEP HERE.
Associated Press
DENVER--Pope John Paul began his third visit to the United States on Thursday by urging Americans to "guarantee the right to life" as President Bill Clinton, an abortion rights advocate, stood beside him.
Without saying the word "abortion" as he spoke upon arrival at Denver's airport, the pontiff made clear references to the Roman Catholic Church's strong stance against the practice.
"America, you are beautiful. You are the best in so many ways," he told a cheering crowd in the rain. "But your best beauty, your richest blessing is from the human person."
The Pope said that of all its great causes, possibly America's greatest is "that you guarantee the right to life and protect the human person."
"If you want equal justice for all, and true freedom and lasting peace, then, America, defend life!" he said.
After the speech, Clinton walked with his hand on the Pope's shoulder. Asked what he thought of the remarks, Clinton gave a thumbs-up and said: "It was a great speech."
White House press secretary Dee Dee Myers said of the Pope's comments on abortion: "I think he tried to make his point without being confrontational. That's what we expected."
On the airport tarmac, John Paul smiled and stooped slightly as he shook hands with Clinton, his wife, Hilary, and daughter, Chelsea, as well as with other dignitaries.
Before the Pope spoke, Clinton praised him for lighting the spark that led to the demise of communism in Eastern Europe.1 Clinton quoted former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, the country's only Roman Catholic chief executive: "Here on Earth, we must always remember God's work must be ours."2
Clinton and the spiritual leader of the world's 950 million Roman Catholics then flew by separate helicopters to Regis University, a Jesuit college, for a private 40-minute meeting.
The Pope was then scheduled to go to Denver's Mile High Stadium, where an estimated 87,000 youths were expected for the first of a series of meetings for World Youth Day.
The meetings will culminate in a mass Sunday, expected to draw up to 500,000 people to Cherry Creek State Park.
"Respect Life" is the theme of this year's World Youth Day, a biennial international gathering of Catholic youth being held in North America for the first time. The Pope has said he hopes the event will serve as an "embrace of humanity" against war and intolerance.
The 73-year-old pontiff flew to Denver after an historic visit to Mexico, his first since that country restored diplomatic relations with the Vatican after a 130-year break.
On Wednesday, speaking atop the ruins of a Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan town of Izamal, the Pope strongly defended the "legitimate aspirations" of American native peoples.3
(text of article from August 13, 1993 Vancouver Sun)
1-IF YOU APPRECIATE THAT MY NOVEMBER, 1984 STATEMENT TO "THE ARAB LEAGUE" PROVIDED THEM WITH COPIES OF THE TWO 1984 LETTERS I RECEIVED FROM THE VATICAN SECRETARIAT OF STATE--AND CERTAINLY I TOOK IT AS MORE THAN COINCIDENCE THAT THE HOLY FATHER CHOSE TO MAKE THE PARTICULAR REMARK HE DID AS NOTED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE ACCOMPANYING ALL PROVISIONS OF COPIES OF THOSE LETTERS TO INVOLVED INDIVIDUALS AND PARTIES--YOU SHOULD APPRECIATE THAT I ALSO NOTED THIS COMMENT BY PRESIDENT CLINTON AT THAT TIME AS HARD TO BELIEVE AS UNRELATED TO THE "CONCERNS" ADDRESSED BY MY "INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC WORK...ON A DIRECT BASIS" FOR THE WORLD'S CHILDREN.
3-I SHARE THIS CONCERN ON BEHALF OF CANADIAN NATIVE PEOPLES.
I URGE VISITORS TO THIS AWARD-WINNING WEBSITE TO TAKE A BRIEF SIDESTEP HERE AND THEN, TO CONSIDER MY INITIAL RESPONSE TO THIS INFORMATION, TAKE YOUR NEXT FOOTSTEP HERE.