Pope Francis’s address to a joint session of Congress on September 24, 2015 (10:00 AM ET) will mark a first in the history of the Catholic Church and United States.Invited by Speaker John Boehner, a Catholic and product of Jesuit education, Pope Francis will speak to a Congress where over 30% of members self-identify as Catholic and nearly 15% attended a Catholic college or university. In addition, 55 of the members were educated at Jesuit universities or high schools. His address to Congress will be an opportunity to invite legislators to reflect on the U.S.’s response to those who are marginalized by poverty and injustice, especially migrants, those plagued by climate change, workers treated unjustly, etc.
First off, I love the Pope. I think he is a neat man and he behaves, in my opinion, as a man of Christ should. To me, he has humility, has eschewed much of the opulence and ostentation of the Vatican in favor of a simpler life. He seems to listen to the real needs of people.
However, I am far too much of a “wall of separation” person to be giving this Congressional address a 100% thumbs up. I just am not sure that religious leaders should be addressing Congress. I confess that I would be having a fit if Billy Graham or Jerry Falwell had addressed Congress during their lifetime. The Pope is a little different because he is a head of state.
This isn’t my sword to fall on. The Pope has a good message of brotherly love. I might not agree with all he says. ( I don’t expect to) but I don’t believe he has a political agenda. I will be watching to hear his address. I know there are those who will boycott.
Does anyone here plan to see the Pope? How do you feel about him addressing Congress? Should we be treating him like royalty or just a head of state? How many of us have Papal fever? I just admit to having a slight case.
The difference is that he is a head of state. How would we feel if the Dalai Lama were to address Congress? Would that bother us more or less than if Billy Graham in his prime were to do so?
Incumbent Heads of State or Heads of Government (there is a difference) is probably a good line of demarcation. Thus MacArthur shouldn’t address Congress (but he did). Otherwise, there is danger that speaking to a joint session of Congress becomes a kind of guest speaker event. The whole thing was besmirched by the antics of Netanyahu’s being invited behind the President’s back (and Netanyahu not having the wisdom to decline) a few months ago. But it is a nice tradition when done properly.
Verizon Fios will have a Pope channel on channel 61 and 601 starting Tuesday.
I’m pretty militant about separation of church and state. But Congress should and may listen to all sources of opinion about the state of the world and what they as representatives should be doing about it. Since it is rare the Pope is in town it OK to go out of the way to listen to him speak in person. I’d say the same about the Dali Lama or Billy Graham.
Two places I would draw the line:
— There should not be a Mass nor a blessing or even a prayer. Let’s keep this secular.
— The event should not be exploited as some sort of campaign for the endorsement and support of that religion’s voters.
While the Dalai Lama never addressed a joint session of Congress, he did offer the morning pray at the convening of the Senate on March 3, 2014. Here is his prayer to Buddha and all other gods:
The opening prayer by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to convene the United States Senate:
“With our thoughts we make our world.
Our mind is central and precedes our deeds.
Speak or act with a pure mind
and happiness will follow you,
like a shadow that never leaves.
May there be joy in the world,
With bountiful harvest and spiritual wealth.
May every good fortune come to be,
And may all our wishes be fulfilled.
As long as space remains,
And as long as sentient beings remain,
Until then, may I too remain
And help dispel the misery of the world.”
@ Ed Myers-I don’t think you will get at least one of the “Two places I would draw the line:
– There should not be a mass nor a blessing or even a prayer. Let’s keep this secular.”
If I’m not mistaken, each session ope ns with a prayer by the Senate chaplain or an invited chaplain.
Yeah, I think SCOTUS was wrong to allow government entities to have public prayer. If a government body want a prayer prior to starting a meeting, they should do it in a non-public place without CSPAN cameras running.
Why no CSPAN coverage? Just curious, since it’s an independent nonprofit that doesn’t just cover Hill proceedings.
Lovely prayer, George. Thanks for putting that up where more of us could see it.
@emma Because CSPAN covers public events and if they can’t cover it then it isn’t public event. The prayer might occur in the same room as the public meeting but I want it to happen before it is open to the public. I don’t want to prevent a politician’s free exercise of his religion, I want to prevent the establishment that this religion is the favored religion of the current administration.