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Edited on Fri Apr-08-05 07:57 PM by democrat in Tallahas
I wonder if be was composing this on his Blackberry during the funeral?
Here is an E-Mail I received from Bill Frist at work today. Seems being respectful to the Pope does not exclude sending pandering e-mail from a funeral.
Subject: Bill Frist - Respectfully from the Vatican
From Rome. Karyn and I and a bipartisan group of 14 senators are just about to walk into St. Peter's Square as the funeral mass for Pope John Paul II is about to begin.We are right in the middle of thousands of mourners around us, quiet, dignified, respectful, streaming the same way.Our senate delegation left Wednesday night East Coast time with the purpose of bringing our thoughts and prayers to Rome on behalf of the senate in respect to John Paul II. Together, we have talked about the Holy Father--his life, his teachings, his faith, his suffering.
Together, we have viewed his earthly remains and will soon witness his funeral. Together, we will return home later tonight from the eternal city to Washington reflective yet proud of having this opportunity to represent the senate and our nation.From the moment members began calling me last Thursday as the Pope's health worsened, I knew the senate had to act together in word and deed for both the man and moment. Working with democrats, we planned and prepared what the senate would say unanimously and arranged our delegation to honor the Holy Father.On the flight over as we rested, many shared the personal reminiscences they had of meetings with John Paul II, some that stretched back over 30 years. Others who had never met the man talked about the teachings he expressed and the history he both witnessed and became so important a part of. So much family tragedy early, as he lived through fascism, then so much courage to stand against communism, and then an opportunity to play a role it seemed his whole life to that moment had prepared him for--and he acted, in concert with other major leaders of a generation ago, and together they changed history and redeemed a world of promise, hope and opportunity, which we have inherited. John Paul II was a hinge of history.When we arrived in Rome yesterday, we quickly had a few minutes to prepare, and then we drove to St. Peter's to pay our respects. We turned a corner and rode up a short hill, and the dome of St. Peter's crowned the beautiful blue sky. All our members commented on the weather--clear, crisp and warm, spring coming into bloom as we walked down a slight decline into Vatican City, past Santa Marta where the cardinals will stay during the conclave and entered a side door to the Basilica.Our escorts brought us carefully and respectfully to the side of the Pope's bier, where our delegation could stand and pay its respects without being in the way of anyone else.
Many pilgrim mourners approached his body with quiet solemnity as music and prayers hung in the background. With signs of the cross or small papal flags they gave honor to a man who traveled so far and said so much yet was so clearly and simply a man of the people.I had not been in St. Peter's in over 30 years, since a visit with my longtime friend from Nashville John Gibson, and its powerful architecture only accented the unique dignity of our time to stop and prayerfully reflect on the life and legacy of the Pope. So much passed through my mind and heart as Karyn and I stood together within feet of his body, and we felt the spirit of this unique man and his powerful faith.We quietly prayed, and I found myself sharing several specific prayers some of you asked me to say once in the Basilica. As we left, we walked under a marble carving of the Seas of Creation wrapping a skeleton holding the sands of time--a stark image that fused the reality of the Pope's 84 years of life with this time of his passing.
Congress awarded him a gold medal a few years ago, spearheaded by bipartisanship in both chambers.Right now, minutes before the service, as we prepare to be a witness to a funeral that celebrates a life, with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world, I'm reminded of the values, thoughts, and legacies of this champion for peace and freedom.And I look toward the future. The Church will have a new pope soon who will take up the labors of his predecessor. Now the world pauses to honor a man of deep thought, personal humility, much charity, strength, courage, and wisdom, who left us much to reflect over and for his successor to incorporate into the fabric of the world community as we move forward into the 21st century.Respectfully from the Vatican,Bill FristTo forward this email to a friend, please click here.To visit the VOLPAC website, please click here.You are currently subscribed as To change your email address, please click here.VOLPACPost Office Box 158552Nashville, TN 37215Office: (615) 386-0045Click here to view our privacy statement. You are receiving this email from VOLPAC because you have subscribed online on our website, donated to VOLPAC, been a past supporter in a non-financial way or your contact information was gathered from Republican voter files. If you do not wish to receive email communications from VOLPAC, please click here to unsubscribe.Paid for by VOLPAC and not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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