Francis in Washington, D.C.
September 24, 2015
After meeting with Cuba’s President Raul Castro in the Revolution Palace in Havana, Cuba, on September 20, Pope Francis is now in the United States, making stops in Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia. Credit: © Tony Gentile, AP Photo
In his first visit to the United States, Pope Francis arrived at an Air Force base outside Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, September 22. There he was met by U.S. President Barack Obama and the First Family, Vice President Joe Biden and his family, Roman Catholic schoolchildren, and many clergy members of the Roman Catholic Church. After a brief meeting with President Obama, the pope climbed into a small Fiat hatchback (instead of a limousine) and traveled to his place of residence during his time in the capital, the home of the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States.
Yesterday, September 23, President Obama held a welcoming ceremony for the pontiff (pope) on the South Lawn of the White House. He then appeared in a parade and met with Catholic bishops. The largest event of the day was a Mass said by the pope at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. During this service, Francis canonized Junípero Serra (1713-1784), a Franciscan missionary who in 1769 founded the first mission in present-day California. This was the first canonization (proclaiming a person to be a saint in the Church) ever held in the United States. It was not without controversy. American Indian groups protested that Serra and the missions he helped found were responsible for the deaths of many Native American peoples.
Today, the pope addressed a joint meeting of Congress. The event filled the House of Representatives and thousands watched it on huge televisions set up on the lawn of the Capitol. Francis spoke on such topics as climate change and the environment, poverty and income inequality, and immigration. About the latter, he stated:
“In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants.”
This evening, the pope leaves for New York City where we will address the UN General Assembly and say Mass at Madison Square Garden.
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