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 12 October 2008 00:38 BST

Pope Benedict delivers landmark speech at White House

Wednesday, 16 Apr 2008 20:05
Pope Benedict XVI is due to arrive in the US today

In Focus 

Pope Benedict XVI has today spoken at the White House, referring to himself as a "friend of the US".

The Pope and US president George Bush addressed a crowd at the White House on the Roman Catholic leader's 81st birthday.

Mr Bush opened his address by thanking the Pope for spending his "special day" with Americans.

The Pope's six-day trip to the US, the first by the Catholic Church's leader for 30 years, will involve a series of addresses and he is expected to address the United Nations on Friday.

Mr Bush today said that the US was guided by "ancient and eternal truths".

"Faith and reason coexist in harmony - one of the reasons our land remains a beacon of hope for millions around the world," he said.

The Pope in response praised the contribution of Catholics to American life but warned "democracy without values can lose its soul".

He also declared that the "need for global solidarity is greater than ever before", but ended his speech claiming it was "a joy to be in your midst" and "God bless America".

Pope Benedict had earlier received a special greeting from Mr Bush and first lady Laura Bush on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base.

During the flight to the US yesterday, the Pope told reporters he was "deeply ashamed" of the sex-scandal that has rocked the US Catholic community, which with an estimated 70 million members is the largest in the world.

Over the last few years the US Catholic Church had been made to pay $2 billion (£1 billion) to settle sexual abuse cases.

"I am deeply ashamed and will do whatever is possible so that this does not happen in the future," the Pope said.

"It is more important to have good priests than many priests. We will do everything possible to heal this wound."

Last week a spokesman for Pope Benedict tried to distance the church leader from the scandal claiming that this week's visit to the US would instead focus on religious and moral values.

A recorded message from the Pope also claimed the trip was "to proclaim this great truth: Jesus Christ is hope for men and women of every language, race, culture and social condition".

He is scheduled to speak before a meeting of US cardinals and bishops before addressing the UN General Assembly on Friday.End of story


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