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    "label": "Remarks of the President to the Eucharistic Congress [Ford Speech or Statement]",
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    "title": "Remarks of the President to the Eucharistic Congress [Ford Speech or Statement]",
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            "day": 8,
            "logicalDate": "1976-08-08",
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    "ocrText": "Digitized from Box 29 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\nAUGUST 8, 1976\nOFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY\n(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nREMARKS OF THE PRESIDENT\nTO' THE\nEUCHARISTIC CONGRESS\nJFK STADIUM\n4:43 P.M. EDT\nYour Eminence Cardinal Knox, Papal Legate for\nHis Holiness Pope Paul, Your Eminence Cardinal Krol,\ndistinguished clergy from all over the world, dear friends:\nI am deeply honored by your invitation to be with\nyou at the conclusion of this 41st International Eucharistic\nCongress and to reiterate on behalf of all of the people\nof the United States of America our most heartfelt welcome\nto our many guests from all over the world.\nIt is an inspiring demonstration of all the world's\nhunger for peace and understanding these Congresses are\nable to unite citizens of more than 100 nations in common\npurpose and common prayer.\nIt is fitting that you gather here in the City\nof Brotherly Love where 200 years ago my country declared\nits national independence with a firm reliance on the\nprotection of Divine Providence. That reliance has never\nfailed us and has been reinforced by the equally firm\ndevotion of Americans to freedom of worship and freedom of\nconscience from all who have come to us throughout the\ncenturies.\nThese fundamental freedoms are not only written\ninto our Constitution and our laws but they are written in\nour hearts as well.\nOn this occasion we celebrate the Church's\ncontribution to building a more peaceful world. We salute\nyou for giving depth and direction to the world community\nin every age. For millions of men and women the Church\nhas been the hospital for the soul, the school for the mind\nand the safe depository for moral ideals,\nIt has given unity and purpose to the affairs of\nman. It has been a vital institution for protecting and\nproclaiming the ultimate values of life itself. We are\nrightly concerned today about the rising tide of secularism\nacross the world. I share your deep appreciation (apprebension)\nabout the increased irreverence for life.\nMORE\nPage 2\nThe supreme value of every person to whom life\nis given by God is a belief that comes to us from the holy\nscriptures confirmed by all the great leaders of the Church.\nOur commitment to the unique role of the family\nrelationship is also basic to our faith. There are no adequate\nsubstitutes for father, mother and children bound together\nin a loving commitment to nurture and protect. No government,\nno matter how well-intentioned, can ever take the place of\nthe family in the scheme of things. The family circle\nsuggests a oneness similar to that of the Church family\nin that which we strive to achieve in the human family.\nI remember a poem that my mother tought me as a\nyoung boy, byrthe great American poet Edwin Markham, which\nbeautifully expresses the determination that we must move\ntowards tolerance to love. It goes like this: \"He drew\na circle that shut me out; heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.\nBut love and I had the wit to win, we drew a circle that took\nhim in.\"\nI am moved that you have brought me in, within\nthis great circle today, and by the spirit of love and service\nthat animates it, I hope that we all, whatever our country\nor creed, will continue to draw larger and larger circles\nuntil that day in His good time when all God's people are\none.\nAs we work together for a better world where our\nbrothers and sisters are free from hunger and fear, let us\nkeep our hearts free from pride and hate in the spirit of\nthis old familiar prayer of the good St. Francis: \"Lord,\nmake me an instrument of Thy peace. Where there is hatred,\nlet me so love; where there is injury, pardon; where there\nis doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is\ndarkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.\"\nGod bless and may you have a safe journey to\nyour homes.\nThank you.\nEND\n(AT 4:52 P.M. EDT)"
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