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Jeb Bush sent to Mass for the pope

President Bush taps his Catholic brother to represent the nation at Benedict XVI's installation in Rome on Sunday.

By STEVE BOUSQUET
Published April 23, 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, none from Florida. That delegation is made up of 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. The Senate is not sending a delegation.

Bush was in an expansive mood Friday and 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, when his brother George was elected governor of Texas.

"I'd just gotten whupped in the governor's race in '94. It gave 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 are Catholics, and he has been attending 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 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."'

Bush is a strong supporter of the death penalty, though the Catholic Church opposes it. Florida bishops have pleaded with himto spare the lives of condemned killers, including Paul Hill, who killed an abortion doctor and an escort outside a Pensacola abortion clinic in 1994.

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

That trip led to talk that 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.

Pope Benedict is "a deep thinker," Bush said. "I think he will be a fine leader of the church as it transitions to the challenge of modern times, where absolute truth is constantly being challenged more and more."

Steve Bousquet can be reached at bousquet@sptimes.com

[Last modified April 23, 2005, 01:09:32]