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Rose Garden4:04 P.M. EDTTHE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Please.  Thank you.  Be seated, please.  And, Melania, thank you very much, on the second anniversary of the BE BEST Initiative.  You’ve done a fantastic job.  And everybody appreciates it.  But I want to — (applause) — thank you.  And I want to thank you, on behalf of the entire nation, for all that you do for America’s children and on fighting the drug addiction problem that we have in this country.  It’s all over the world.  But I want to thank you very much.  Great job you do.  You...

Rose Garden3:54 P.M. EDTTHE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you and good afternoon.  To the President and the First Lady, to leaders in faith and in public life, to all our distinguished guests, it is an honor for Karen and me to be here with all of you at the White House as we mark one more National Day of Prayer.  You know, for our family, prayer has always been an important part of our lives, just as it has for millions of Americans.Karen and I will both attest that the sweetest words that we ever hear are when people...

WASHINGTON — A 20-year-old vocalist who is blind received rapturous applause at the National Prayer Service with her stirring rendition of "How Great Thou Art," a standing ovation led by First Lady Melania Trump. (Screenshot: TFHomemadeJame/YouTube)Marlana Vanhoose, 20, from Kentucky sang an arrangement of Stuart K. Hine's beloved hymn, as part of the 58th Presidential Inaugural at Washington National Cathedral Saturday with President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President Pence and his wife Karen Pence and their families in attendance.Born with a disease called Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Vanhoose has been blind since birth as a result of her optic nerve...

Here in Washington DC a national prayer service was originally scheduled for the National Cathedral (which is still closed due to the earthquake damage – see photo, right). It is now slated for the Kennedy Center. Yet, the “national” quality of the service is disputed by some, including Washington Examiner columnist Ken Klukowski who writes the following commentary. His remarks are bold, black italic text. My remarks are normal text red. The article here is excerpted the full text can be read here: Washington Examiner The National Cathedral is an Episcopal church, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion...

Americans for Peace and Tolerance is celebrating that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick rescinded an invitation to the imam of a Muslim Brotherhood-linked mosque to participate in an interfaith prayer service. It is now known that the mosque was attended by the Boston bombers, though it condemns the attack. You can thank Governor Patrick by clicking here.Imam Suhaib Webb of the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center said on twitter that Governor Patrick’s office suddenly disinvited him to the service and he did not know why. The Clarion Project has documented the Muslim Brotherhood links of the ISBCC and its parent...

Catholic and Protestant leaders gathered at Morgan State University Wednesday night for a prayer service calling on voters to approve Maryland's DREAM Act next month. The DREAM Act, which is Question 4 on this year's ballot, would require community colleges charge in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrant students who have graduated from high school in Maryland, and who can prove that they or their parents have paid taxes in Maryland for at least three years. If the student graduates from a community college, they would then be eligible for in-state tuition at a four-year institution. Archbishop William Lori of the...

'It is amazing where destiny will take us when we rise to offer our dreams, gifts, and talents to the call and the timing of God," said my brother, Larry Duncan, in a text message he sent me during the inaugural address. His words resonated as I listened to the sacred music and words during the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service. Barack Obama's appearance at the traditional presidential prayer service served as yet another monumental moment in a historic week. It is indeed fitting that President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama began their four years in the White House in...

Today a National Prayer Service was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. for President Barack Obama and incoming Government officials. The most moving point of the service was the singing of "Amazing Grace" by the outstanding singer Wintley Phipps. Here is video of Phipps singing "Amazing Grace" today at the Cathedral . . . . . (watch video) The video below contains Wintley Phipps telling the story behind "Amazing Grace" and then singing the song in an even more powerful rendition (Trust me - worth your time to watch!) . . . . (watch video)

U.S. President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton sing the national anthem during the Presidential inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral in Washington January 21, 2009. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Today President Bush attended the 55th Presidential Inaugural Prayer service at Washington's National Cathedral, the Rev. Billy Graham led the gathering in prayer ENJOY YOUR VISIT TO SANITY ISLAND!

Evangelist Billy Graham will lead the opening prayer at a service Friday honoring the second inauguration of President Bush. "I have known the Bush family for many years, and have seen how their faith in God has sustained them through some very trying times," Graham said in a statement. "I pray for them daily, and it is a great honor to pray publicly for our president, his family, and our nation as he begins his second term." The service is scheduled for Friday morning at the National Cathedral. Bush credits Graham with inspiring him to reaffirm his faith at age...

The Prayer Serviceis starting now

Tonight at my university Catholic Center, I presided over a Prayer Service for the Men and Women of our Military and their families. Our opening hymn was "How Great Thou Art," followed by an opening prayer, Ecclesiastes 3:1-12, a Sung version of Psalm 23, and Romans 14:7-13, 18-19, 22. After the readings, a soldier's recollection of Fr. Emil J. Kapaun, a Korean War Martyr. Then sang "How Can I keep From Singing," then lifted up Intercessions, followed by a silent reflection. Then sang "Jesus, Give Us Strength," read Psalm 34. We then read the names of all the fallen soldiers...