Pope Francis tours DC, pontificates on immigration & climate change (PHOTOS)
''...The pope began his speech to the American people, given in tentative English, by talking about immigration........“I am deeply grateful for your welcome in the name of all Americans. As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families,” he said.
He then called on America to build “a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive,” and that safeguards the rights of its people and communities, as well as rejecting “every form of unjust discrimination.”...''
''...“Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our ‘common home’, we are living at a critical moment of history,” said the pope, known for his criticism of human behavior as a cause of climate change...''
The pope began his speech to the American people, given in tentative English, by talking about immigration.
He then called on America to build “a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive,” and that safeguards the rights of its people and communities, as well as rejecting “every form of unjust discrimination.”
“Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our ‘common home’, we are living at a critical moment of history,” said the pope, known for his criticism of human behavior as a cause of climate change.
He also added that the public needed to do more to help those around them.
“Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them,” Pope Francis said.
He concluded his remarks by calling for “cooperation within our human family” to bring about “positive steps along the path of reconciliation, justice and freedom.”
READ MORE: 10 controversies swirling around Pope Francis’ visit to the US
Pope Francis and Obama subsequently met in the Oval Office, where they discussed their common causes of fighting income inequality, promoting social justice and preventing climate change.People began gathering along the parade route at 4 a.m. local time, passing through four security entrances.
Thousands of people lined the parade route, as Pope Francis traveled from the White House along the Ellipse and National Mall, passing by the Washington Monument before returning to the Executive
Mansion.
Inside the cathedral, Pope Francis prayed in Latin with about 300 bishops from the United States. He then spoke to the gathering in Italian.