Lasorda attends ceremony with Pope

Tommy Lasorda has met with most of the biggest names in and out of baseball. Now, in his role as baseball's goodwill ambassador and special advisor to the chairman, the Hall of Fame manager again connected with some of the biggest names in the world.

President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush invited Lasorda to attend the White House ceremony on Wednesday morning honoring the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI on the South Lawn of the White House.

It was a little different than a World Series or a late-season matchup with the Giants, but the invitation touched Lasorda.

"I am truly honored to be invited to such a special occasion," said Lasorda. "It is humbling to be in such distinguished company. I just wish my parents could be alive to see this."

Lasorda was scheduled to go to a private dinner that President and Mrs. Bush will be hosting Wednesday night at the White House.

The former Dodgers manager has served in this capacity numerous times throughout his long career, several times for President Bush (a former owner of the Texas Rangers) and Major League Baseball. Lasorda also had met Pope John Paul I and Pope John Paul II, who celebrated Mass at Dodger Stadium on Sept. 16, 1987.

Meeting the Pope and the president once again just added to a long list of very important people Lasorda has broken bread with.

President Bush is the seventh president that Lasorda has met with. Lasorda was at the White House last season, along with former Dodgers pitching great Don Newcombe, to play with a group of Los Angeles Little Leaguers to play tee ball on the South Lawn of the White House.

The ceremony with the Pope took place on a sunny spring morning in Washington, just minutes away from Nationals Park. It included a wide variety of people, including Vice President Dick Cheney, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and many others.

Both President Bush and the Pope talked about something that Lasorda does often in his role -- helping others.

"Here in America, you'll find a nation of compassion. Americans believe that the measure of a free society is how we treat the weakest and most vulnerable among us," Bush said at the ceremony. "So each day, the citizens across America answer the universal call to feed the hungry and comfort the sick and care for the infirm. Each day across the world, the United States is working to eradicate disease, alleviate poverty, promote peace and bring the light of hope to places still mired in the darkness of tyranny and despair."

The Pope gave a similar message during his brief talk at the White House.

"I am confident that this concern for the greater human family will continue to find expression in support for the patient efforts of international diplomacy to resolve conflicts and promote progress," said the Pope. "In this way, coming generations will be able to live in a world where truth, freedom and justice can flourish."