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Transcript:ReadtheSpeechPope
FrancisGavetoCongress
Ryan Teague Beckwith @ryanbeckwith

Updated: Sept. 24, 2015 12:09 PM

PopeFrancisaddressedajointmeetingofCongressinahistoricspeechThursday
morning.
Heresafulltranscriptofhisremarks.

IammostgratefulforyourinvitationtoaddressthisJointSessionofCongressin
thelandofthefreeandthehomeofthebrave.Iwouldliketothinkthatthe
reasonforthisisthatItooamasonofthisgreatcontinent,fromwhichwehave
allreceivedsomuchandtowardwhichweshareacommonresponsibility.
Eachsonordaughterofagivencountryhasamission,apersonalandsocial
responsibility.YourownresponsibilityasmembersofCongressistoenablethis
country,byyourlegislativeactivity,togrowasanation.Youarethefaceofits
people,theirrepresentatives.Youarecalledtodefendandpreservethedignity
ofyourfellowcitizensinthetirelessanddemandingpursuitofthecommongood,
forthisisthechiefaimofallpolitics.Apoliticalsocietyendureswhenitseeks,as
avocation,tosatisfycommonneedsbystimulatingthegrowthofallitsmembers,
especiallythoseinsituationsofgreatervulnerabilityorrisk.Legislativeactivityis
alwaysbasedoncareforthepeople.Tothisyouhavebeeninvited,calledand
convenedbythosewhoelectedyou.
YoursisaworkwhichmakesmereflectintwowaysonthefigureofMoses.On
theonehand,thepatriarchandlawgiverofthepeopleofIsraelsymbolizesthe
needofpeoplestokeepalivetheirsenseofunitybymeansofjustlegislation.On
theother,thefigureofMosesleadsusdirectlytoGodandthustothe
transcendentdignityofthehumanbeing.Mosesprovidesuswithagood
synthesisofyourwork:youareaskedtoprotect,bymeansofthelaw,theimage
andlikenessfashionedbyGodoneveryhumanface.
TodayIwouldlikenotonlytoaddressyou,butthroughyoutheentirepeopleof
theUnitedStates.Here,togetherwiththeirrepresentatives,Iwouldliketotake
thisopportunitytodialoguewiththemanythousandsofmenandwomenwho
striveeachdaytodoanhonestdayswork,tobringhometheirdailybread,to
savemoneyandonestepatatimetobuildabetterlifefortheirfamilies.
Thesearemenandwomenwhoarenotconcernedsimplywithpayingtheirtaxes,
butintheirownquietwaysustainthelifeofsociety.Theygeneratesolidarityby
theiractions,andtheycreateorganizationswhichofferahelpinghandtothose
mostinneed.

SELFIES OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING POPE FRANCIS'S JOURNEY

ACROSS THE U.S.
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Enija Davidonyte

Enija Davidonyte posted this Pontiff snapshot on Facebook.

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Iwouldalsoliketoenterintodialoguewiththemanyelderlypersonswhoarea
storehouseofwisdomforgedbyexperience,andwhoseekinmanyways,
especiallythroughvolunteerwork,tosharetheirstoriesandtheirinsights.I
knowthatmanyofthemareretired,butstillactivetheykeepworkingtobuildup
thisland.Ialsowanttodialoguewithallthoseyoungpeoplewhoareworkingto
realizetheirgreatandnobleaspirations,whoarenotledastraybyfacile
proposals,andwhofacedifficultsituations,oftenasaresultofimmaturityonthe
partofmanyadults.Iwishtodialoguewithallofyou,andIwouldliketodoso
throughthehistoricalmemoryofyourpeople.
Myvisittakesplaceatatimewhenmenandwomenofgoodwillaremarkingthe
anniversariesofseveralgreatAmericans.Thecomplexitiesofhistoryandthe
realityofhumanweaknessnotwithstanding,thesemenandwomen,foralltheir
manydifferencesandlimitations,wereablebyhardworkandselfsacrifice
someatthecostoftheirlivestobuildabetterfuture.Theyshaped
fundamentalvalueswhichwillendureforeverinthespiritoftheAmerican
people.Apeoplewiththisspiritcanlivethroughmanycrises,tensionsand
conflicts,whilealwaysfindingtheresourcestomoveforward,andtodosowith
dignity.Thesemenandwomenofferusawayofseeingandinterpretingreality.
Inhonoringtheirmemory,weareinspired,evenamidconflicts,andinthehere
andnowofeachday,todrawuponourdeepestculturalreserves.
IwouldliketomentionfouroftheseAmericans:AbrahamLincoln,MartinLuther
King,DorothyDayandThomasMerton.
Thisyearmarkstheonehundredandfiftiethanniversaryoftheassassinationof
PresidentAbrahamLincoln,theguardianofliberty,wholaboredtirelesslythat
thisnation,underGod,[might]haveanewbirthoffreedom.Buildingafuture
offreedomrequiresloveofthecommongoodandcooperationinaspiritof
subsidiarityandsolidarity.
Allofusarequiteawareof,anddeeplyworriedby,thedisturbingsocialand
politicalsituationoftheworldtoday.Ourworldisincreasinglyaplaceofviolent
conflict,hatredandbrutalatrocities,committedeveninthenameofGodandof
religion.Weknowthatnoreligionisimmunefromformsofindividualdelusion
orideologicalextremism.Thismeansthatwemustbeespeciallyattentiveto
everytypeoffundamentalism,whetherreligiousorofanyotherkind.Adelicate
balanceisrequiredtocombatviolenceperpetratedinthenameofareligion,an
ideologyoraneconomicsystem,whilealsosafeguardingreligiousfreedom,
intellectualfreedomandindividualfreedoms.Butthereisanothertemptation

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whichwemustespeciallyguardagainst:thesimplisticreductionismwhichsees
onlygoodorevilor,ifyouwill,therighteousandsinners.Thecontemporary
world,withitsopenwoundswhichaffectsomanyofourbrothersandsisters,
demandsthatweconfronteveryformofpolarizationwhichwoulddivideitinto
thesetwocamps.Weknowthatintheattempttobefreedoftheenemywithout,
wecanbetemptedtofeedtheenemywithin.Toimitatethehatredandviolence
oftyrantsandmurderersisthebestwaytotaketheirplace.Thatissomething
whichyou,asapeople,reject.
Ourresponsemustinsteadbeoneofhopeandhealing,ofpeaceandjustice.We
areaskedtosummonthecourageandtheintelligencetoresolvetodaysmany
geopoliticalandeconomiccrises.Eveninthedevelopedworld,theeffectsof
unjuststructuresandactionsarealltooapparent.Oureffortsmustaimat
restoringhope,rightingwrongs,maintainingcommitments,andthuspromoting
thewellbeingofindividualsandofpeoples.Wemustmoveforwardtogether,as
one,inarenewedspiritoffraternityandsolidarity,cooperatinggenerouslyfor
thecommongood.
Thechallengesfacingustodaycallforarenewalofthatspiritofcooperation,
whichhasaccomplishedsomuchgoodthroughoutthehistoryoftheUnited
States.Thecomplexity,thegravityandtheurgencyofthesechallengesdemand
thatwepoolourresourcesandtalents,andresolvetosupportoneanother,with
respectforourdifferencesandourconvictionsofconscience.
Inthisland,thevariousreligiousdenominationshavegreatlycontributedto
buildingandstrengtheningsociety.Itisimportantthattoday,asinthepast,the
voiceoffaithcontinuetobeheard,foritisavoiceoffraternityandlove,which
triestobringoutthebestineachpersonandineachsociety.Suchcooperationis
apowerfulresourceinthebattletoeliminatenewglobalformsofslavery,born
ofgraveinjusticeswhichcanbeovercomeonlythroughnewpoliciesandnew
formsofsocialconsensus.

SEE PHOTOS OF EVERY PAPAL VISIT TO THE U.S. IN HISTORY

Bill EppridgeThe LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Pope Paul VI giving mass and sermon of peace at Yankee Stadium during historic visit.
New York, 1965.
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[EditorsNote:Thefollowingsection,whichwasinthepreparedremarks,
wasnotincludedinthespeech.]HereIthinkofthepoliticalhistoryoftheUnited

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States,wheredemocracyisdeeplyrootedinthemindoftheAmericanpeople.All
politicalactivitymustserveandpromotethegoodofthehumanpersonandbe
basedonrespectforhisorherdignity.Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,
thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwith
certainunalienablerights,thatamongthesearelife,libertyandthepursuitof
happiness(DeclarationofIndependence,4July1776).Ifpoliticsmusttrulybeat
theserviceofthehumanperson,itfollowsthatitcannotbeaslavetothe
economyandfinance.
Politicsis,instead,anexpressionofourcompellingneedtoliveasone,inorder
tobuildasonethegreatestcommongood:thatofacommunitywhichsacrifices
particularinterestsinordertoshare,injusticeandpeace,itsgoods,itsinterests,
itssociallife.Idonotunderestimatethedifficultythatthisinvolves,butI
encourageyouinthiseffort.HeretooIthinkofthemarchwhichMartinLuther
KingledfromSelmatoMontgomeryfiftyyearsagoaspartofthecampaignto
fulfillhisdreamoffullcivilandpoliticalrightsforAfricanAmericans.That
dreamcontinuestoinspireusall.IamhappythatAmericacontinuestobe,for
many,alandofdreams.Dreamswhichleadtoaction,toparticipation,to
commitment.Dreamswhichawakenwhatisdeepestandtruestinthelifeofa
people.
Inrecentcenturies,millionsofpeoplecametothislandtopursuetheirdreamof
buildingafutureinfreedom.We,thepeopleofthiscontinent,arenotfearfulof
foreigners,becausemostofuswereonceforeigners.Isaythistoyouastheson
ofimmigrants,knowingthatsomanyofyouarealsodescendedfromimmigrants.
Tragically,therightsofthosewhowereherelongbeforeuswerenotalways
respected.Forthosepeoplesandtheirnations,fromtheheartofAmerican
democracy,Iwishtoreaffirmmyhighestesteemandappreciation.Thosefirst
contactswereoftenturbulentandviolent,butitisdifficulttojudgethepastby
thecriteriaofthepresent.Nonetheless,whenthestrangerinourmidstappeals
tous,wemustnotrepeatthesinsandtheerrorsofthepast.Wemustresolve
nowtoliveasnoblyandasjustlyaspossible,asweeducatenewgenerationsnot
toturntheirbackonourneighborsandeverythingaroundus.Buildinganation
callsustorecognizethatwemustconstantlyrelatetoothers,rejectingamindset
ofhostilityinordertoadoptoneofreciprocalsubsidiarity,inaconstanteffortto
doourbest.Iamconfidentthatwecandothis.
OurworldisfacingarefugeecrisisofamagnitudenotseensincetheSecond
WorldWar.Thispresentsuswithgreatchallengesandmanyharddecisions.On
thiscontinent,too,thousandsofpersonsareledtotravelnorthinsearchofa
betterlifeforthemselvesandfortheirlovedones,insearchofgreater
opportunities.Isthisnotwhatwewantforourownchildren?Wemustnotbe
takenabackbytheirnumbers,butratherviewthemaspersons,seeingtheirfaces
andlisteningtotheirstories,tryingtorespondasbestwecantotheirsituation.
Torespondinawaywhichisalwayshumane,justandfraternal.Weneedtoavoid
acommontemptationnowadays:todiscardwhateverprovestroublesome.Letus
remembertheGoldenRule:Dountoothersasyouwouldhavethemdounto
you(Mt7:12).
ThisRulepointsusinacleardirection.Letustreatotherswiththesamepassion
andcompassionwithwhichwewanttobetreated.Letusseekforothersthesame
possibilitieswhichweseekforourselves.Letushelpotherstogrow,aswewould
liketobehelpedourselves.Inaword,ifwewantsecurity,letusgivesecurityif
wewantlife,letusgivelifeifwewantopportunities,letusprovide
opportunities.Theyardstickweuseforotherswillbetheyardstickwhichtime
willuseforus.TheGoldenRulealsoremindsusofourresponsibilitytoprotect
anddefendhumanlifeateverystageofitsdevelopment.
Thisconvictionhasledme,fromthebeginningofmyministry,toadvocateat
differentlevelsfortheglobalabolitionofthedeathpenalty.Iamconvincedthat
thiswayisthebest,sinceeverylifeissacred,everyhumanpersonisendowed
withaninalienabledignity,andsocietycanonlybenefitfromtherehabilitationof
thoseconvictedofcrimes.RecentlymybrotherbishopshereintheUnitedStates
renewedtheircallfortheabolitionofthedeathpenalty.NotonlydoIsupport
them,butIalsoofferencouragementtoallthosewhoareconvincedthatajust
andnecessarypunishmentmustneverexcludethedimensionofhopeandthe
goalofrehabilitation.
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Inthesetimeswhensocialconcernsaresoimportant,Icannotfailtomentionthe
ServantofGodDorothyDay,whofoundedtheCatholicWorkerMovement.Her
socialactivism,herpassionforjusticeandforthecauseoftheoppressed,were
inspiredbytheGospel,herfaith,andtheexampleofthesaints.
Howmuchprogresshasbeenmadeinthisareainsomanypartsoftheworld!
Howmuchhasbeendoneinthesefirstyearsofthethirdmillenniumtoraise
peopleoutofextremepoverty!Iknowthatyousharemyconvictionthatmuch
morestillneedstobedone,andthatintimesofcrisisandeconomichardshipa
spiritofglobalsolidaritymustnotbelost.AtthesametimeIwouldencourage
youtokeepinmindallthosepeoplearounduswhoaretrappedinacycleof
poverty.Theytooneedtobegivenhope.Thefightagainstpovertyandhunger
mustbefoughtconstantlyandonmanyfronts,especiallyinitscauses.Iknow
thatmanyAmericanstoday,asinthepast,areworkingtodealwiththisproblem.
Itgoeswithoutsayingthatpartofthisgreateffortisthecreationanddistribution
ofwealth.Therightuseofnaturalresources,theproperapplicationof
technologyandtheharnessingofthespiritofenterpriseareessentialelementsof
aneconomywhichseekstobemodern,inclusiveandsustainable.Businessisa
noblevocation,directedtoproducingwealthandimprovingtheworld.Itcanbea
fruitfulsourceofprosperityfortheareainwhichitoperates,especiallyifitsees
thecreationofjobsasanessentialpartofitsservicetothecommongood
(LaudatoSi,129).Thiscommongoodalsoincludestheearth,acentralthemeof
theencyclicalwhichIrecentlywroteinordertoenterintodialoguewithall
peopleaboutourcommonhome(ibid.,3).Weneedaconversationwhich
includeseveryone,sincetheenvironmentalchallengeweareundergoing,andits
humanroots,concernandaffectusall(ibid.,14).
InLaudatoSi,Icallforacourageousandresponsibleefforttoredirectour
steps(ibid.,61),andtoavertthemostseriouseffectsoftheenvironmental
deteriorationcausedbyhumanactivity.Iamconvincedthatwecanmakea
differenceandIhavenodoubtthattheUnitedStatesandthisCongresshave
animportantroletoplay.Nowisthetimeforcourageousactionsandstrategies,
aimedatimplementingacultureofcare(ibid.,231)andanintegrated
approachtocombatingpoverty,restoringdignitytotheexcluded,andatthe
sametimeprotectingnature(ibid.,139).Wehavethefreedomneededtolimit
anddirecttechnology(ibid.,112)todeviseintelligentwaysofdevelopingand
limitingourpower(ibid.,78)andtoputtechnologyattheserviceofanother
typeofprogress,onewhichishealthier,morehuman,moresocial,more
integral(ibid.,112).Inthisregard,IamconfidentthatAmericasoutstanding
academicandresearchinstitutionscanmakeavitalcontributionintheyears
ahead.

HERE ARE THE BEST INSTAGRAM PHOTOS OF POPE FRANCIS'

VISIT

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@ronnie_junior

Ronnie Junior posted this photo from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland saying "Preps at
Andrews Air Force base".
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Acenturyago,atthebeginningoftheGreatWar,whichPopeBenedictXV
termedapointlessslaughter,anothernotableAmericanwasborn:the
CistercianmonkThomasMerton.Heremainsasourceofspiritualinspiration
andaguideformanypeople.Inhisautobiographyhewrote:Icameintothe
world.Freebynature,intheimageofGod,Iwasneverthelesstheprisonerofmy
ownviolenceandmyownselfishness,intheimageoftheworldintowhichIwas
born.ThatworldwasthepictureofHell,fullofmenlikemyself,lovingGod,and
yethatinghimborntolovehim,livinginsteadinfearofhopelessself
contradictoryhungers.Mertonwasaboveallamanofprayer,athinkerwho
challengedthecertitudesofhistimeandopenednewhorizonsforsoulsandfor
theChurch.Hewasalsoamanofdialogue,apromoterofpeacebetweenpeoples
andreligions.
Fromthisperspectiveofdialogue,Iwouldliketorecognizetheeffortsmadein
recentmonthstohelpovercomehistoricdifferenceslinkedtopainfulepisodesof
thepast.Itismydutytobuildbridgesandtohelpallmenandwomen,inanyway
possible,todothesame.Whencountrieswhichhavebeenatoddsresumethe
pathofdialogueadialoguewhichmayhavebeeninterruptedforthemost
legitimateofreasonsnewopportunitiesopenupforall.Thishasrequired,and
requires,courageanddaring,whichisnotthesameasirresponsibility.Agood
politicalleaderisonewho,withtheinterestsofallinmind,seizesthemomentin
aspiritofopennessandpragmatism.Agoodpoliticalleaderalwaysoptsto
initiateprocessesratherthanpossessingspaces(cf.EvangeliiGaudium,222
223).
Beingattheserviceofdialogueandpeacealsomeansbeingtrulydeterminedto
minimizeand,inthelongterm,toendthemanyarmedconflictsthroughoutour
world.Herewehavetoaskourselves:Whyaredeadlyweaponsbeingsoldto
thosewhoplantoinflictuntoldsufferingonindividualsandsociety?Sadly,the
answer,asweallknow,issimplyformoney:moneythatisdrenchedinblood,
ofteninnocentblood.Inthefaceofthisshamefulandculpablesilence,itisour
dutytoconfronttheproblemandtostopthearmstrade.
Threesonsandadaughterofthisland,fourindividualsandfourdreams:
Lincoln,libertyMartinLutherKing,libertyinpluralityandnonexclusion
DorothyDay,socialjusticeandtherightsofpersonsandThomasMerton,the
capacityfordialogueandopennesstoGod.
FourrepresentativesoftheAmericanpeople.
IwillendmyvisittoyourcountryinPhiladelphia,whereIwilltakepartinthe
WorldMeetingofFamilies.Itismywishthatthroughoutmyvisitthefamily
shouldbearecurrenttheme.Howessentialthefamilyhasbeentothebuildingof
thiscountry!Andhowworthyitremainsofoursupportandencouragement!Yet
Icannothidemyconcernforthefamily,whichisthreatened,perhapsasnever
before,fromwithinandwithout.Fundamentalrelationshipsarebeingcalledinto
question,asistheverybasisofmarriageandthefamily.Icanonlyreiteratethe
importanceand,aboveall,therichnessandthebeautyoffamilylife.
Inparticular,Iwouldliketocallattentiontothosefamilymemberswhoarethe
mostvulnerable,theyoung.Formanyofthem,afuturefilledwithcountless
possibilitiesbeckons,yetsomanyothersseemdisorientedandaimless,trapped
inahopelessmazeofviolence,abuseanddespair.Theirproblemsareour
problems.Wecannotavoidthem.Weneedtofacethemtogether,totalkabout
themandtoseekeffectivesolutionsratherthangettingboggeddownin
discussions.Attheriskofoversimplifying,wemightsaythatweliveinaculture
whichpressuresyoungpeoplenottostartafamily,becausetheylackpossibilities
forthefuture.Yetthissameculturepresentsotherswithsomanyoptionsthat
theytooaredissuadedfromstartingafamily.

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AnationcanbeconsideredgreatwhenitdefendslibertyasLincolndid,whenit
fostersaculturewhichenablespeopletodreamoffullrightsforalltheir
brothersandsisters,asMartinLutherKingsoughttodowhenitstrivesfor
justiceandthecauseoftheoppressed,asDorothyDaydidbyhertirelesswork,
thefruitofafaithwhichbecomesdialogueandsowspeaceinthecontemplative
styleofThomasMerton.
IntheseremarksIhavesoughttopresentsomeoftherichnessofyourcultural
heritage,ofthespiritoftheAmericanpeople.Itismydesirethatthisspirit
continuetodevelopandgrow,sothatasmanyyoungpeopleaspossiblecan
inheritanddwellinalandwhichhasinspiredsomanypeopletodream.
GodblessAmerica!

SEE PHOTOS OF POPE FRANCIS' HISTORIC VISIT TO U.S.

Andrew BurtonReuters

Pope Francis arrives to lead mass at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on
Sept.25, 2015.
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