Pope Francis urges action on immigration, environment, defense of the poor and of families
IN the first-ever papal address to both houses of Congress on Thursday, Sept. 24, Pope Francis brought to light important issues ranging from immigration to gun control to climate change, addressing the diverse crowd of political leaders and top lawmakers.
Appearing at the balcony of the Capitol, the pope was surrounded to his right and left by House Speaker John Boehner and Vice President Joe Biden, both of whom are devout Catholics, NPR reported.
“I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session of Congress in ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave,’” the Pope began, to the applause of thousands, who were granted a limited amount of tickets for the joint meeting. “I am so grateful for your presence here.”
To begin, the head of the Catholic Church reminded legislators of the function and purpose of government: “A political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on the care of the people. To this, you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected you.”
He called on Congress to seek “effective solutions, rather than getting bogged down in discussions.”
Francis urged political leaders to take vigorous action on issues largely favored by liberals, and concerns widely dividing both houses of Congress: including his powerful defense of immigration, a critique of modern-day US capitalism, a call for the endorsement of environmental legislation, an end to war and a cry to help the poor, refugees, and those incarcerated.
“Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one, the greatest common good,” the Pope said, also citing the examples of historical leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, and Martin Luther King, Jr.
As the 266th Pope, Francis (whose birth name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio) also recognized his own role as a promoter of peace, and religious leader of the Catholic Church: “It is my duty to build bridges and to help all men and women, in any way possible, to do the same.”
In his speech, he defended religious freedom and the structure of the traditional family, dividing his views of marriage with that of President Barack Obama, according to the New York Times.
He was also less explicit in condemning abortion, but called for a defense of life “at every stage of development.”
“I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without,” he said. “Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of family life.”
Touching upon other points he made the day before, in front of the White House lawn, the Pope noted himself as “the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants.” He called for the further respect of immigrants and refugees, and for a major haul to the immigration system.
“We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best as we can to their situation,” he commenting, referencing the biblical Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
He also advocated for the worldwide abolition of the death penalty, calling every life “sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity…a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.”
Encouraging those living in a poverty to have hope, Francis said, “[…] in times of crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not be lost…The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts.”
As the session came to a close, he talked about caring “for the common good,” emphasizing the importance of creation and taking care of the earth, calling for “an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.”
Quoting from his second encyclical Laudato Si’, he said: “We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”
Finally, the Pontiff ended with a brief comment on gun control, and a collective cry for ongoing social justice and world peace.
“Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world,” he said. “Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? […] In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.”
The Pope’s speech in English was the longest, perhaps most challenging appearance of his papacy, the NY Times said. Francis, who speaks native Spanish and fluent Italian, has admitted his discomfort in speaking English.
But on Thursday, he clearly addressed 138 Catholic House members and 26 senators–nearly 31 percent, compared with 22 percent of the overall Catholic adult population.
Urging and encouraging these national leaders from all walks of life, Pope Francis said, “The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States. The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.”
