Published: April 11, 2008 11:50 pm      

Cambria County sheriff invited to meet the pope at the White House

EBENSBURG — Cambria County Sheriff Bob Kolar, during his law-enforcement career, has gotten to provide security for high-ranking officials from Gov. Ed Rendell to President Bush.

But now he’s gotten an invitation to be a guest, and what an invite it is – to be the guest of President and first lady Laura Bush at the arrival ceremony for Pope Benedict XVI at the White House.

It was a surprise to Kolar, who got word Friday through the Pennsylvania Sheriffs Association that he’s one of six sheriffs in the state to get one of the coveted invitations to the South Lawn ceremony.

The only other area sheriff getting invited is Centre County Sheriff Denny Nau, Kolar said.

Kolar, who has a second ticket for the ceremony, will be taking his wife, Lee, with him. They have to be at the White House by 7:30 a.m. for Wednesday’s arrival of the pope.

Kolar, a Catholic and member of Holy Name Church in Ebensburg, is overwhelmed that he will get the chance to see the pope in person.

“It is an honor just to be invited to the White House, and then to be able to meet the pope too is an honor. This will be something to tell my grandchildren,” the sheriff said.

He said he doesn’t know how he came to be among the invited guests.

The only possibility, he suggested, is that Secret Service officials may remember four years ago – when Bush made a campaign stop at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena – Kolar and his deputies said they would take care of outside security where there were anti-Bush demonstrators.