Durbin Statement on Address of Pope Francis to Congress
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement regarding the address to a joint meeting of Congress by His Holiness Pope Francis:
“There was a huge crowd gathered at the White House yesterday to welcome Pope Francis, the first visit by a pope in many years to the United States, and Pope Francis’ first visit to our country. We were waiting and waiting and up he drove in his little Fiat car, as a passenger in the back seat. What a reminder it was as to why this pope is so different and so beloved. He is a humble man. He lives in a simple room; he decided he wouldn’t take the palatial papal apartment that popes have had in the past. He really has reached out to the church and to others, saying let’s reach out and help the poor among us, and show by our lives that we really do care. He brought that message to Capitol Hill.
The statement he gave us was less than an hour in length—he struggled with English, not his first or even his second language—but the message came through loud and clear. A message that this pope has lived in his life and is daring us to live in our lives: to care for those who need help, to deal with the issues of income inequality for families, to be thoughtful when it comes to bringing peace to this world, and not to ignore what’s happening with climate change and global warming to work to make sure that the next generation has a safe Earth to live on.
This pope’s brief visit here, I think, is going to be an inspiration to many of us to work harder to make the United States and the world a better place.”
Video of Durbin’s statement is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s statement is available here.