President Bush Reflects on Pope John Paul II's Funeral

The following is an interview of President Bush by the Travel Pool aboard
Air Force One en route Waco, Texas, Friday, April 08, 2005.

The President: Listen, were you there in person?

The Press: Yes.

The President: One, I'm really glad I came. There was never any question
I would come. Last night we hosted a reception at the embassy for many of
the leaders of the Catholic Church at home, and they were very grateful that
I came, and Laura came, and Dad came, and President Clinton came, and
Condi came, as well as others. And I told them, to a person, that it's such an
honor to represent our country at a ceremony honoring a truly great man
who is and will always be a great historical figure.

I knew the ceremony today would be majestic, but I didn't realize how moved
I would be by the service, itself; by the beautiful music. I was struck —
as an aside — struck by the fact that the sound was so clear in this huge facility.
It was as if we were inside the cathedral listening; and the voices were so pure.
I thought the homily was really good. We were given an English version,
fortunately — if you haven't read it, maybe you've seen it? Yes. Beautiful.
Beautiful. Beautifully done.

I was struck by the response of the crowd. And I think it's interesting to
note the moments where the crowd responded. One in particular is when
His Eminence spoke to His Holiness's relationship to the young of the world,
and there was a great outpouring of enthusiasm for that line. And then I think
the thing that struck all our delegation most intensely was the final scene of
the plain-looking casket — one of three, by the way; lead, wood, and wood —
being carried and held up for the seal to be seen, and then the sun pouring out.
This will be one of the highlights of my presidency, to have been at this great
ceremony.

So off we go to home, now.

Q: Your predecessor suggested that the Pope would leave a mixed legacy,
even though he was a great man. Since you differed with him on the war to
such a great degree, do you also think it will be a mixed legacy?

The President: I think Pope John Paul II will have a clear legacy of peace,
compassion, and a strong legacy of setting a clear moral tone. . . . A clear and
excellent legacy, if you don't mind adding the word "excellent."

Q: Clear and excellent.

The President: Yes. In other words, a strong legacy. I wanted to make sure
there was a proper adjective to the legacy I thought he left behind. It was more
than just "clear."


This article courtesy of the White House Office of the Press Secretary.