Republican presidential hopeful and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush joined millions of other American Catholics in welcoming Pope Francis in his first visit to the United States just last week.
Reflecting on the Pope's visit, Bush recalled how the Catholic Church helped ground his faith and beliefs in life.
"Catholicism has grounded my own life," he wrote in an article for Charisma News.
"In Catholic teachings, the family is a 'domestic church,' and the Catholic faithful are a kind of extended family. The Catholic Church has always bound my own family together."
Even Bush's wife was raised in the Catholic faith. They were married in a Catholic student centre. When they had children of their own, they raised them up as Catholics. However, it was only when he lost his first campaign as governor of Florida back in 1994 that he fully embraced the Catholic faith.
"I attended Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults classes. I gained a deeper appreciation for the sacraments of the Church and the grace they impart. I studied Catholic Church doctrine, and how it is renewed in every age. The more I learned, the more I appreciated the rich history of the Church and its teachings, and my heart was changed by God's hand," he shared.
Because of his conversion, Bush said his Church helped him cope with life's many challenges. His faith taught him about mercy and penance, and helped him appreciate "the dignity and potential of every life, young and old, rich and poor, born and not yet born."
Bush said he has witnessed the power of God transform lives and the world, adding that he is proud to be a Catholic. "The power of that Catholic faith can be seen today," he said, in the "millions of men and women who heal the sick, comfort the lonely, work for peace and feed the hungry. It is a faith that touches heart and mind, and it brings comfort to all who listen to its message of hope. And it is a faith that I am proud to call my own."
