The Rt. Rev. William E. Swing, URI President and Founding Trustee, recalls an inspiring story about the time he invited George H. W. Bush to speak about his life in front of a class at St. Columba’s parish.
“Over the years, I have relived that moment and his words many times. It always brings to my mind the ancient prayer which says, ‘O God...whose service is perfect freedom.’ Somehow, ‘service’ and ‘freedom’ are two words that seemed to be inexorably twinned. Perhaps, people in bondage long for freedom while people who have the privilege of freedom are called to serve those in bondage. In a perfect world! In the real world, the privileged mostly lust for more privilege and thus neglect those in bondage. But there are conspicuous exceptions. George H. W. Bush was an exception.”
