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I have been recounting the historic address of Pope Francis to Congress on September 24, 2015. Last week I mentioned the words Pope Francis spoke about Dr. Martin Luther King on that momentous day. Yesterday we had a talk by Fr. Robert Boxie that will hopefully be an opening to an important conversation for all in the parish. It might be good today to recall reflections by three of the predecessors of Pope Francis on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.

I continue reporting the historic address of Pope Francis to Congress on September 24, 2015. At the time of the address Michael Sean Winters wrote in the National Catholic Reporter that Pope Francis’s remarks had an encouraging and challenging tone about them. In contrast to his visit to Bolivia where Pope Francis sounded like an Old Testament prophet when speaking to community organizers, here before Congress the words of Pope Francis were more like a parish priest who was encouraging his flock by beginning with what was good in their lives and pointing out where God was already working in them. Let’s continue to hear again some more of this momentous address:

I am continuing this series of columns that are presenting the historic address of Pope Francis to Congress on September 24, 2015. One news commentator at the time remarked that what could have been a light speech filled with platitudes about visiting the United States was instead filled with challenges to lawmakers, including the Pope’s desire to see the death penalty abolished, a call for Americans to welcome migrants, and a warning that the fight against religious extremism should not trample upon freedom. Let’s continue to read his words on that great occasion:

When Pope Francis came to Washington to canonize St. Junipero Serra on September 23, 2015, he was also invited to address a joint meeting of Congress the very next day. I want to present some of his words delivered to the House and Senate on that historic occasion. His remarks seem very pertinent for the situation in which we find ourselves today. Here is what Pope Francis said to the Members of Congress: