Pope Francis will do something no pope has ever done before: he will address a joint session of Congress during his visit to the East Coast in late September.
That historical fact was made a certainty last week when Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that during his visit to our nation’s capital, Pope Francis will speak to Congress on Sept. 24. “We’re humbled that the Holy Father has accepted our invitation and certainly look forward to receiving his message on behalf of the American people,” Boehner said.
According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center, more than nine in 10 members of the House and Senate are Christians, of which three in 10 are Catholics. But don’t take for granted the pope will be preaching to the choir when he addresses Congress.
Sadly, the actions of our elected representatives often don’t align with the tenets of their faith. Some talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. Others don’t do either.
Expect Pope Francis to try to awaken within our Congressional members the Christian roots upon which our nation was founded by centering his message on working for the common good by supporting the sanctity of human life from the womb to natural death; by defending marriage as the union of one man and one woman so that the family, as the most vital cell of society, remains strong from all attacks, and by defending against any attempts to limit religious freedom in any way.
The question remains: Will Congress listen?