Msgr. Lawrence Frederick sees Pope speak to Congress

Rep. French Hill invited Msgr. Frederick to be his one guest for papal address

Published: October 1, 2015

By Aprille Hanson
Associate Editor

U.S. Rep. French Hill (left) invited Catholic High School for Boys teacher and rector Msgr. Lawrence Frederick to be his one guest seated in the gallery to watch Pope Francis address Congress Sept. 24.

While most of the world had to watch Pope Francis’ historic address to a joint session of Congress Sept. 24 from afar, Msgr. Lawrence Frederick had what broadcasters called a “coveted” seat inside the gallery thanks to a former student.

Each representative of Congress was allowed to invite one person into the gallery to view the pope’s address and U.S. Rep. French Hill, a Catholic who graduated from Catholic High School in 1975, invited his former teacher, Msgr. Frederick, who has taught at Catholic High since 1966 and serves as the school’s rector.

“It was toward the end of August I got a call from him,” Msgr. Frederick said of Hill. While there was a little phone tag involved, he finally got his invitation “He wanted me to be his guest in the gallery to see the pope speak.”

It was a shock, Msgr. Frederick said, which involved rearranging his physics classes at Catholic High and also at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock to make the trip. But ultimately, a small price to pay for him to see a pope in person for the first time. As a man of faith and science, seeing Pope Francis was an extra bonus.

“He’s connected up with the world a little bit better with the scientific background; he’s open to the ‘every man’ … Particularly the poor and those that are disenfranchised,” Msgr. Frederick said, adding that his encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’, resonated with him. “This is our only space craft; if we mess this up we can’t go anywhere else. It’s important to protect our resources.”

While other representatives invited high profile people, including presidential candidates Dr. Ben Carson and Gov. Chris Christie, Hill said in a statement to Arkansas Catholic that having Msgr. Frederick there was “special.”

“It was an inspiring and emotional morning to be a witness to this historic event. As a Catholic, it was an honor to be present at the Holy Father’s address to Congress, and the day was made even more special by the attendance of my invited guest, Father Fred,” Hill said in part. “I’ve known this fine man and wonderful teacher since 1971, and he has been contributing mightily to my spiritual growth and development ever since.”

It is the second time Hill has given a special invite to a Catholic from his home state. In January, Catholic High School senior Brennan Anderson was Hill’s guest at the president’s State of the Union.

“Oh heavens, yes,” Msgr. Frederick said on whether or not he remembered Hill as a student. “He was a very determined person, focused, dedicated; I’m not surprised at all he became a congressman.”

Msgr. Frederick flew to Maryland and touched down about 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23. At 5 a.m. the next morning, he made his way into D.C., his first ever trip to the capitol. Though it was too crowded to actually see any of the monuments or museums, he had lunch with Hill and spent time at his office.

“French is quite an interesting person, he’s perfectly fit for that duty right there as representative, yes he is,” Msgr. Frederick said. “It was fascinating to watch him at work — very smoothly and very diplomatically” when he talks with politicians.

Though he admitted, it was overwhelming.

“I really felt as I would think a pigeon would feel in a gaggle of geese,” Msgr. Frederick said.

However, there was at least one other man of faith to identify with — Pope Francis.

In a pope’s first ever address to a joint session of Congress, Pope Francis touched on hot-button social issues in the United States, urging Congress to be merciful to undocumented immigrants, to move toward overcoming income inequality and protecting the environment.

Sitting above the pope to the far left where the reporters were seated, Msgr. Frederick only saw the pope as he was walking in, but he could hear every word of his speech.

“I think the biggest thing is he was covering the things we morally and ethically must be concerned about. I especially like the idea of the family and respect for life at all stages and the fact that we are supposed to be good stewards of what God has given and share it with others,” Msgr. Frederick said, adding his message to politicians was equally important. “He talked about how politicians are to join people together in community so we can work together and grow and make life better for all people’s in community.”

Though he was far from his Catholic High classroom, he did his best to educate those around him.

“There were people sitting around me in the gallery complaining he didn’t say specific things like abortion or same-sex marriage,” Msgr. Frederick said. “I tried to say that’s not his part. His part is to remind us of the basic concepts” of the Church.

Msgr. Frederick left D.C. around 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 24 and touched down in Little Rock at midnight. Though it was a whirlwind trip, he said it was a good faith journey, one he can share with his students and others around him.

“I would say that as a leader of the Church he tossed out concepts we constantly have to remind ourselves of, that we are all in this together, this is our home and we have to work together, all of us,” he said.