Pope Hopes To Address Joint Session Of Congress
Click here for reuse options!Archbishop Bernardito Auza told the Catholic News Agency (CNA) on Sunday that the pope is projected to arrive in Washington on Sept. 22 as part of a three-city U.S. tour that includes New York and Philadelphia.Francis will visit the White House on Sept. 23 and celebrate Mass at Washington’s Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception later that same day, Auza added.
“And we might say really the highlight of the Washington visit might be his speech to the joint-meeting of Congress, so the Senate and the House of Representatives,” Auza told CNA.
“But these are just proposals. At the end of February there will be the first organizational visit (from a Vatican delegation), and then we will see what we could really fill in,” the archbishop added, according to CNA.
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35 responses to Pope Hopes To Address Joint Session Of Congress
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Roctuna January 19th, 2015 at 07:36
I’ll predict right now that the talibagger-dominated Congress, especially the Teahouse, will not support this for fear of being scolded on the international stage. The fundies cannot stand being called out by a moral authority.
Roctuna January 19th, 2015 at 08:36
I’ll predict right now that the talibagger-dominated Congress, especially the Teahouse, will not support this for fear of being scolded on the international stage. The fundies cannot stand being called out by a moral authority.
eyelashviper January 19th, 2015 at 08:58
Wonder how many Goper congress dolts will stand up and shout, “you lie!” when the Pope confronts them with their dastardly inhumanity??
eyelashviper January 19th, 2015 at 09:58
Wonder how many Goper congress dolts will stand up and shout, “you lie!” when the Pope confronts them with their dastardly inhumanity??
Buford2k11 January 19th, 2015 at 09:39
Just say NOPE to the Pope…we don’t need any more doctrine in congress than we are already suffering from…
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 11:41
Agreed. This would establish a precedent. Protestants will demand that Franklin Graham be allowed to address Congress. Then we’ll have to allow a prominent rabbi, then an imam, and of course the Dalai Lama. Finally, the Scientologists will demand that Tom Cruise be allowed to address Congress where he will be seen jumping on the couch or whatever furniture is available.
I agree. Just say nope to the pope.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 13:28
Yes I am sure it has nothing to do with the way some in Congress claim to be Christians and push legislation that Christ would never support. We could never have these fake Christians called out for their actions by the Pope now could we.
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 13:57
From my perspective, it’s all about separation of church and state.
I think it’s great that this pope is speaking out about issues of concern. But if being a Christian means to follow the example set by Jesus, then this pope should do what Jesus did. Jesus tried to change people’s hearts so that they would do the right thing because they WANTED to, not because they were FORCED to. Jesus did not attempt to change the laws of his time. He practiced persuasion, not compulsion.
I believe that when religious conservatives attempt to legislate their beliefs, they exhibit a lack of faith in the example that Jesus set. They want to FORCE people to live a certain way, instead of PERSUADING them to live that way. That’s not the way Jesus went about it.
As long as the Pope is in the business of persuasion, I am all for it. But when he starts to meddle in politics and tries to get legislation passed, them I am dead set against it.
The wall of separation between church and state is the people themselves. Religious leaders can and should encourage people to think about their values. And then those same people should vote for the leaders who best represent the values that they have formulated after listening to religious leaders and lots of other people. That puts the people in control and permits the best ideas to win.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 14:14
You make some valid points but I am sorry to say that the only way your stated opinions applied here is if ALL practiced them. Currently the USA has a major problem with TP/GOP extremists that in no way shape or matter follow your stated opinions.
These type of extremists need to be called out for what they are and Jesus himself called out hypocritical extremists in his time. So the Pope is well within his appointed duties to follow Jesus’s example. Who better to call them out for what they are then a religious leader? Certainly not another politician of the other party, for they would just be called biased.
The Pope would be doing his job and following Jesus’s example.
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 14:26
The only thing I object to is Congress inviting the pope to speak in their chamber. Let the pope speak on the steps of the capitol. Let him speak outside the White House. Let him speak on CNN. But if they invite him to speak in the capitol, then every other religious leader is going to want equal time. And they will also want to “call out” elected leaders on various issues.
I have not heard this pope reject the church’s teachings on abortion. Do you want a future pope (or perhaps even this pope) to stand in the House of Representatives and call out our leaders on abortion? What if Franklin Graham demands equal time? Do you want our elected leaders to be called out on their support for gay rights?
Religious leaders addressing Congress is like prayer in schools. It sounds like a good idea to many people. But who will write the prayers, and what words will they use? Who will address Congress, and what will they say?
You might be very surprised at what this pope, or a future pope, might have to say. Let them say it directly to the American people. But don’t give them an official endorsement.
arc99 January 19th, 2015 at 14:47
Like it or not, Vatican City is a sovereign state. The Pope is the head of state and has a non-voting observer assigned at the United Nation.
Neither Franklin Graham, nor any other religious leader can make that claim. It may be a convenient coincidence that the Pope is officially a head of state, but refusing on principle to have a head of state address Congress as have Tony Blair and Benjamin Netanyahu opens up what is in my opinion an even bigger can of worms.
Do we extend such invitations based on the job descriptions of heads of state? I don’t think we want to go there.
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 14:58
You make a valid point. But Hugo Chavez was also a head of state, and he was allowed to speak at the UN. Would anyone have considered, even for a moment, allowing him to address a joint session of Congress? I am not suggesting that the pope is in the same moral realm as Hugo Chavez. I am only pointing out that being the leader of a country does not automatically confer the right to address the US Congress.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 15:21
I may be wrong but I do not believe that Hugo Chavez has numerous followers in the USA that have voted for members in said Congress of the USA there is a distinct difference.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 15:11
I take it then you are not very knowledgeable about political meetings and such. All over the USA political meetings in states,counties and cities have been opened first with a prayer and this has been happening more and more. You are familiar with the fact that their is an opening Prayer whenever Congress is in session are you not.
Thus you seem very late on your messaging against the Pope the head of a sovereign state as arc99 has advised you also to speak at Congress.
Buford2k11 January 19th, 2015 at 10:39
Just say NOPE to the Pope…we don’t need any more doctrine in congress than we are already suffering from…
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 12:41
Agreed. This would establish a precedent. Protestants will demand that Franklin Graham be allowed to address Congress. Then we’ll have to allow a prominent rabbi, then an imam, and of course the Dalai Lama. Finally, the Scientologists will demand that Tom Cruise be allowed to address Congress where he will be seen jumping on the couch or whatever furniture is available.
I agree. Just say nope to the pope.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 14:28
Yes I am sure it has nothing to do with the way some in Congress claim to be Christians and push legislation that Christ would never support. We could never have these fake Christians called out for their actions by the Pope now could we.
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 14:57
From my perspective, it’s all about separation of church and state.
I think it’s great that this pope is speaking out about issues of concern. But if being a Christian means to follow the example set by Jesus, then this pope should do what Jesus did. Jesus tried to change people’s hearts so that they would do the right thing because they WANTED to, not because they were FORCED to. Jesus did not attempt to change the laws of his time. He practiced persuasion, not compulsion.
I believe that when religious conservatives attempt to legislate their beliefs, they exhibit a lack of faith in the example that Jesus set. They want to FORCE people to live a certain way, instead of PERSUADING them to live that way. That’s not the way Jesus went about it.
As long as the Pope is in the business of persuasion, I am all for it. But when he starts to meddle in politics and tries to get legislation passed, them I am dead set against it.
The wall of separation between church and state is the people themselves. Religious leaders can and should encourage people to think about their values. And then those same people should vote for the leaders who best represent the values that they have formulated after listening to religious leaders and lots of other people. That puts the people in control and permits the best ideas to win.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 15:14
You make some valid points but I am sorry to say that the only way your stated opinions applied here is if ALL practiced them. Currently the USA has a major problem with TP/GOP extremists that in no way shape or matter follow your stated opinions.
These type of extremists need to be called out for what they are and Jesus himself called out hypocritical extremists in his time. So the Pope is well within his appointed duties to follow Jesus’s example. Who better to call them out for what they are then a religious leader? Certainly not another politician of the other party, for they would just be called biased.
The Pope would be doing his job and following Jesus’s example.
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 15:26
The only thing I object to is Congress inviting the pope to speak in their chamber. Let the pope speak on the steps of the capitol. Let him speak outside the White House. Let him speak on CNN. But if they invite him to speak in the capitol, then every other religious leader is going to want equal time. And they will also want to “call out” elected leaders on various issues.
I have not heard this pope reject the church’s teachings on abortion. Do you want a future pope (or perhaps even this pope) to stand in the House of Representatives and call out our leaders on abortion? What if Franklin Graham demands equal time? Do you want our elected leaders to be called out on their support for gay rights?
Religious leaders addressing Congress is like prayer in schools. It sounds like a good idea to many people. But who will write the prayers, and what words will they use? Who will address Congress, and what will they say?
You might be very surprised at what this pope, or a future pope, might have to say. Let them say it directly to the American people. But don’t give them an official endorsement.
arc99 January 19th, 2015 at 15:47
Like it or not, Vatican City is a sovereign state. The Pope is the head of state and has a non-voting observer assigned at the United Nation.
Neither Franklin Graham, nor any other religious leader can make that claim. It may be a convenient coincidence that the Pope is officially a head of state, but refusing on principle to have a head of state address Congress as have Tony Blair and Benjamin Netanyahu opens up what is in my opinion an even bigger can of worms.
Do we extend such invitations based on the job descriptions of heads of state? I don’t think we want to go there.
Robert M. Snyder January 19th, 2015 at 15:58
You make a valid point. But Hugo Chavez was also a head of state, and he was allowed to speak at the UN. Would anyone have considered, even for a moment, allowing him to address a joint session of Congress? I am not suggesting that the pope is in the same moral realm as Hugo Chavez. I am only pointing out that being the leader of a country does not automatically confer the right to address the US Congress.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 16:21
I may be wrong but I do not believe that Hugo Chavez has numerous followers in the USA that have voted for members in said Congress of the USA there is a distinct difference.
raypc800 January 19th, 2015 at 16:11
I take it then you are not very knowledgeable about political meetings and such. All over the USA political meetings in states,counties and cities have been opened first with a prayer and this has been happening more and more. You are familiar with the fact that their is an opening Prayer whenever Congress is in session are you not.
Thus you seem very late on your messaging against the Pope the head of a sovereign state as arc99 has advised you also to speak at Congress.
Suzanne McFly January 19th, 2015 at 11:05
Oh man, this is gonna be good if he does. He will bitch slap these maggots in a grown up, scholarly way.
Gindy51 January 19th, 2015 at 12:41
NO thanks, this is the guy who said birth control is wrong and wants to take all females back to chattel territory as well as not doing one damned thing to get rid of the stench in his own house, pedophilia.
Suzanne McFly January 19th, 2015 at 13:32
He has done more for the church than any other Pope since I have been alive. I refuse to write him off already (he has only been Pope for three years) and I believe he has been working on reoperations for the abuses committed by the staff of the church. Birth control will take time as well as the churches stance on women and this will take a lot more time that Pope Francis has available to him.
cecilia January 19th, 2015 at 23:19
relax, sweetie, this IS the catholic church, after all.
how many centuries did it take them to “forgive” Galileo?
change is really difficult for them
Suzanne McFly January 19th, 2015 at 12:05
Oh man, this is gonna be good if he does. He will bitch slap these maggots in a grown up, scholarly way.
Suzanne McFly January 19th, 2015 at 14:32
He has done more for the church than any other Pope since I have been alive. I refuse to write him off already (he has only been Pope for three years) and I believe he has been working on reoperations for the abuses committed by the staff of the church. Birth control will take time as well as the churches stance on women and this will take a lot more time that Pope Francis has available to him.
cecilia January 20th, 2015 at 00:19
relax, sweetie, this IS the catholic church, after all.
how many centuries did it take them to “forgive” Galileo?
change is really difficult for them
fahvel January 19th, 2015 at 13:08
what an event that would be – the slime side of congress trying to act civil in the face of a real master with a voice so beyond their understanding. How could anyone say no if he asked loudly and publicly enough?
fahvel January 19th, 2015 at 14:08
what an event that would be – the slime side of congress trying to act civil in the face of a real master with a voice so beyond their understanding. How could anyone say no if he asked loudly and publicly enough?
labman57 January 19th, 2015 at 14:21
Pope: “The wealthiest people need to give back more to help the poor, gays have fundamental rights, and climate change is real.”
Congressional Republicans’ catcall in response: “You lie!”
labman57 January 19th, 2015 at 15:21
Pope: “The wealthiest people need to give back more to help the poor, gays have fundamental rights, and climate change is real.”
Congressional Republicans’ catcall in response: “You lie!”