Bill Clinton: “Your Holiness, I think you can see from the wonderful reception you have received that the United States is honored to…”

“Your Holiness, I think you can see from the wonderful reception you have received that the United States is honored to have you in Denver. I thank you for coming to Denver, to this historic gathering of young people from across the world. I want to extend a special thanks to the cosponsors of World Youth Day, Archbishop Keeler and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pontifical Council for the Laity. I'm especially gratified that so many leading Catholic Americans could join us today. And I'd like to pay special tribute to one, my good friend, the former Mayor of Boston and our Ambassador to the Vatican, Ray Flynn. I also thank my friends Governor Roy Romer, Mayor Willington Webb, the members of the city council, and Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder, in whose district we now stand--or sit, as the case may be. I want to thank the people of Denver who have opened their hearts and their homes to these young people and say a few words of appreciation, Holy Father, to American Catholics especially. As the Catholic Church prepares to enter its third millennium, our Nation prepares to enter its third century. It is altogether fitting that such a young country would host World Youth Day.…”