Bush lauds Knights' pro-life efforts, pushes faith-based programs

Published: 2004-08-03

DALLAS (CNS) -- President Bush told about 2,000 members of the Knights of Columbus Aug. 3 he appreciates their aid to the poor and their efforts to protect unborn life. "You have a friend in this administration," he said. "You have someone who wants to work with you." Bush used the occasion to announce about $188 million in grants to programs under the administration's faith-based initiatives, including those that provide mentoring for children of prisoners, an addiction recovery project and the Compassion Capital Fund, which supports a variety of local and faith-based groups. Much of Bush's talk was devoted to listing efforts of his administration in terms such as "building a culture of life," a favorite phrase of Pope John Paul II that resonated with the Catholic fraternal organization audience. Among the references receiving the heartiest applause in Bush's speech were his thanks to the Knights for "your working to protect the Pledge of Allegiance, to keep us one nation under God," and his reminder that he had signed into law a ban on partial-birth abortion.

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