THE
PRESIDENT: Gracias, y siéntese. (Laughter.) Thank you for the warm
welcome. It's an honor to be here at the National Hispanic Prayer
Breakfast. Thanks for inviting me back. I understand this, like you
understand this: America is founded on los valores de fe y familia.
(Applause.) These are the values at the heart of the Hispanic American
community. These are the values that enrich our nation. And I am
grateful.Your good works and reverence bring compassion to our
country, and more importantly, honor to the Almighty. This morning we
come together to pray, to pray for God's help as we serve our fellow
citizens. Danny, thank you very much for the invitation and the
introduction. I'm proud to be with a lot of the faith leaders from
around our country. I saw my friend Luis Cortés. It's good to see you
again, Luis. I want to thank John von Seggern, who is the Chairman of
the Prayer Breakfast.
I want to thank the members of the Congress who are here -- Nancy
Pelosi, Chris Cannon, Hilda Solis, Rahm Emanuel, Luis Fortuno. I want to
thank you all for serving our country, and thank you for setting aside
politics to come and honor the Almighty through prayer.
It's good to see my old buddy, former member of the Cabinet, Ridge.
Tom Ridge is with us. Good to see Hector Barreto. He runs the SBA. Go
ahead and pray, and then get back to work. (Applause.) It's good to see
Don Powell, Gaddi -- who runs the FDIC, by the way -- Gaddi Vasquez is
the Director of the Peace Corps.
And finally, I want to pay homage to the First Lady of Panama. I want
to welcome you here, Madam First Lady. Thank you for coming. (Applause.)
We're really glad you're here. Your husband is kind of like me; we both
married well. (Laughter.)
We come from many faiths. In America, every religion is welcome.
That's the great thing about our country: every faith is important. In
America, people of faith have no corner on compassion, but people of
faith need compassion to be true to the call to "Ame al projimo como a
sí mismo," love your neighbor like you'd like to be loved yourself.
That's a universal call.
For Hispanic Americans, a love of neighbor is more than a gospel
command -- it's a way of life. We see the love of neighbor in the strong
commitment of Hispanic Americans to family and the culture of life. For
Hispanic Americans, families are a source of joy and the foundation of a
hopeful society. We're working to support and defend the sanctity of
marriage and to ensure that the most vulnerable Americans are welcomed
in life and protected in love. (Applause.)
We see the love of neighbor in the tireless efforts of Hispanic
American faith-based and community organizations that work daily to
bring hope to harsh places. In Boston, the León de Judá Congregation
mentors inner-city teens so they have a chance to realize the great
dreams of America. In St. Louis, Acción Social Comunitaria helps
immigrants and their children adapt to American life. In the archdiocese
of Miami, Catholic Charities ministers to people with HIV/AIDS;
inner-city Philadelphia, Cortés runs a fantastic program to help lift
the spirits of every single child. (Applause.)
Many in the Hispanic community understand that by serving the least
of -- nuestros hermanos y hermanas -- that we're serving a cause greater
than ourselves. And by doing so, we're helping all citizens have an
opportunity to realize their dreams here in America.
Finally, we see the love of neighbor in tens of thousands of
Hispanics who serve America and the cause of freedom. One of these was
an immigrant from Mexico named Rafael Peralta. The day after Rafael got
his green card, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Think about that. While
serving in Iraq, this good sergeant wrote a letter to his younger
brother. He said, "Be proud of being an American. Our father came to
this country, became a citizen because it was the right place for our
family to be." Shortly after writing that letter, Sergeant Peralta used
his own body to cover a grenade an enemy soldier had rolled into a
roomful of Marines.
This prayer breakfast, we remember the sacrifices of honorable and
good folks like Sergeant Peralta, who have shown their love of neighbor
by giving their life for freedom.
Hispanic Americans answer the call to service willingly, because you
understand that freedom is a divine gift that carries with it serious
responsibilities. And as you go about the work of repairing broken lives
and bringing love into the pockets of hopelessness and despair, be
strong, because you're sustained by prayer. Through prayer --
(applause.)
One of the most powerful aspects of being the President is to know
that millions of people pray for me and Laura. People that I'll never
have a chance -- (applause.) Think about a country where millions of
people of all faiths, people whom I'll never have a chance to look
face-to-face with and say, thank you, take time to pray. It really is
the strength of America, isn't it? Through prayer we ask that our hearts
be aligned with God's. Through prayer we ask that we may be given the
strength to do what's right and to help those in need.
I want to thank you for the fine tradition you continue here today.
This is an important tradition to continue right here in the heart of
the nation's capital. I want to thank you for what you do for our
nation. Que dios les bendiga, and may God continue to bless our country.
Thank you very much. (Applause.)