The CatholiCity Message

CatholiCity Tallahassee Report #1 – November 27, 2000

DATELINE: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA

RE: EYEWITNESS REPORT

Dear CatholiCity Citizens and Christians Everywhere,

It gives us great pleasure to present this eyewitness account of the historical events which took place in Tallahassee last night. We're sure our words will give you great hope.

IN THE PRESS ROOM
It was a miracle we arrived at all, considered the rainstorms and the deadline. We left from New Jersey at 1:05 am and drove 17 straight hours until we arrived at the capital buildings in Tallahassee at exactly 6:01 pm, Sunday. The weather was perfect: cool and clear. We walked to the state senate building grounds and carefully made our way past hundreds of peaceful but excited demonstrators into the official Press Room, my comrade acting as our photographer.

We immediately called the CatholiCity Director of Interactive Communications and filed our first report which was emailed to you last night. Numerous television cameras were lined up in front of a podium with a blue cloth background; reporters and photographers were crammed in everywhere. A representative from the State of Florida read off a short "lottery" list of reporters who would be allowed to enter the court room just below us, where the state canvassing board was scheduled to certify the election.

CARRYING THE CROSS
We settled in among the reporters you've been seeing on television during the past weeks. We began praying with our red, white, and blue rosary beads. Praying to Saint Michael the Archangel, we carefully pulled from our pack the precious object which had given us by your author's father before we left New Jersey, and which we had carried over one thousand miles on your behalf:

A piece of the True Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.

We had carried the Cross to Florida! Angels had guided us to this very room, to the very heart of battle, a battle for the very soul of America. We felt the divine protection and peace of your prayers. We prayed and waited, as we're sure you prayed and waited in your homes.

We saw Katherine Harris lead the canvassing board into the courtroom and at exactly 7:29 pm, she began signing the official documents certifying George W. Bush as the winner of the Florida presidential election. At 7:34 pm the signing was completed. The press room exploded with activity. Along with dozens of reporters and cameramen, we rushed outside as the crowd erupted with loud and continuous cheers of joy (by our estimates, over 90% were Bush supporters). Your author looked at his fellow Marine, and he looked at me.

Mission accomplished.

PHOTOS ONLINE
We returned to the Press Room and watched James Baker conduct his press conference directly in front of us. We continued to snap photographs. Soon after Mr. Baker left the room, a fellow press corps member took a photograph of us holding the True Cross at the same podium where most of you had seen Baker make his statement and answer questions, with the flags of the United States and Florida behind us. We hope to post these photographs on the CatholiCity homepage later today (Monday) or early tomorrow morning.

NEXT ON THE AGENDA
If you're reading this on Monday afternoon and live in the Tallahassee area, join us at the 5:15 pm Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Thomas More. We'll also lead a Rosary of thanksgiving after Mass. Unless something momentous happens here, we'll depart tomorrow for Saint Augustine, Florida, home of the first Catholic parish in the U.S., to pray for your intentions at the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche. From there we'll head to Washington D.C. to represent CatholiCity at the Supreme Court of the United States. Although the election is legally over, more battles will be fought. These two Catholic Marines will remain on call; we'll keep you posted. What follows is a message of encouragement for you which we just received from Father Frank Pavone, President of Priests for Life.

A MESSAGE FROM FATHER PAVONE
"For months, we have preached and prayed about the critical importance of this Jubilee Year election. Since election day, it is as if God has pressed a 'pause' button to impress on the nation what a critical crossroads we have arrived at, and to allow for even more prayer and fasting. God bless CatholiCity for responding to this Divine opportunity."

We remain humbly yours...

Yours in Christ,

Your Troops on the Ground in Florida