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Gov. Bush leads trip to Vatican

President Bush asked his younger brother to represent the United States at ceremonies marking the change in leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published April 22, 2005

TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush, who became a Catholic a decade ago at a turning point in his life, will lead the American delegation to Rome for Sunday's inaugural Mass of Pope Benedict XVI.

President Bush asked his younger brother to represent the United States at ceremonies marking the change in leadership of the Roman Catholic Church.

"I'm excited to represent our country, and particularly people of the Catholic faith, at this important time," the 52-year-old governor said. "I'm delighted to be going."

The five-member U.S. delegation also includes Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele; Carl Anderson, the chief executive officer of the Knights of Columbus; Helen Alvare, an associate professor of law at Catholic University in Washington; and Frank Hanley, president emeritus of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

Also attending are 21 members of Congress. No Florida lawmakers are on the list.

Bush was in an expansive mood Friday and he spoke at length about why he decided to become a Catholic in 1995. His conversion came shortly after he lost his first campaign for governor in 1994, a year in which his brother George was elected governor of Texas.

"I'd just gotten whupped in the governor's race in '94. It game me a chance to kind of call time out, and think about important things," Bush said.

He said his wife Columba and their three children were Catholics, and he had been going to Mass for years. He also described the Catholic faith as "very powerful" and "serene." But he also described breaking with the Episcopal church after a priest talked politics from the pulpit while his father, former President George H.W. Bush, was in the audience.

"He started talking about political issues which I thought was completely inappropriate," Bush recalled. "My Dad happened to be there and I didn't think he needed to get lectured by an Episcopal priest. I said, "I've had it.'^"

In his six years as governor, Bush has been at odds at times with his church over capital punishment. He is a strong supporter of the death penalty, but bishops in Florida have pleaded with him to spare the lives of condemned killers, including Paul Hill, who killed a doctor and an escort outside a Pensacola abortion clinic in 1994.

This is the second time in four months that Florida's governor has been asked by his brother to represent the U.S. on the world stage. In January, Gov. Bush brought a message of hope to a South Asian coastal region devastated by the tsunami, following criticism that the American response was too slow.

That trip led to talk that Gov. Bush might want to succeed his brother in the White House despite his repeated disavowals of any interest. Bush said he wasn't concerned that going to Rome would have the same effect.

"Not concerned at all. I'm really honored that the president asked me to do this," BUsh said.

The governor will have lunch in Rome today with Mel Sembler, the U.S. ambassador to Italy, and will attend a dinner with American Cardinals. The three-hour Mass begins at 10 a.m. Rome time on Sunday and will be shown live at 4 a.m. Eastern time on most major TV networks.

-- Reporter Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 22, 2005, 18:08:49]