For the first time ever, a Pope has spoken at Capitol Hill: in a world ravaged by conflict and fundamentalism we must not simplify reality, seeing everything in black and white. We should not be afraid of immigrant numbers but look them in the face. Human life must be defended “at every stage of its development” and the death penalty abolished. More needs to be done to combat poverty and stop the arms trade. We must help the family “which is threatened, perhaps as never before”
In a world ravaged by conflict and fundamentalism we must not make the mistake of looking at reality in a simplistic way, seeing everything in black and white. We should not be afraid of immigrant numbers but look them in the face. Human life must be defended “at every stage of its development” and the death penalty abolished. More needs to be done to combat poverty in the world, without forgetting about the poor who live on our doorstep. Cuba and the US need to continue along the path of reconciliation, engaging in dialogue and building bridges. The trading of arms needs to stop if we are to put an end to existing conflicts. And we must help the family “which is threatened, perhaps as never before”.
The four model figures
The agenda Francis presented to Congress in his long and impassioned speech this morning, echoes the values of the nation’s founding fathers. The first Pope to be invited to speak at Capitol Hill sought to speak to America’s heart, proposing models advocated by four of its greatest figures: “A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to “dream” of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton.” As is customary, Francis was accompanied in the semi-circle by the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, John Andrew Boehner. Taking the floor, Francis said: “I too am a son of this great continent, from which we have all received so much and toward which we share a common responsibility.” He recalled that “legislative activity is always based on care for the people,” especially the most vulnerable. “Today I would like not only to address you, but through you the entire people of the United States,” he continued.
Don’t split the world into “goodies” and “baddies”
The world “is increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name of God and of religion.” “No religion,” he added, “is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind.” At the same time, Francis said, we must guard ourselves the simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the righteous and sinners.” It is this kind of simplification that hastily divides the world into black and white instead of taking stock of the complexity of reality. “The contemporary world, with its open wounds which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two camps. We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the enemy within. To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a people, reject.” The right answer to solving “today’s many geopolitical and economic crises” is “to aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples”. Even in the US, “it is important that today, as in the past, the voice of faith continue to be heard” because it “is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery” and “grave injustices”. Francis observed: “If politics must truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy and finance. Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life.”
The faces of migrants: “Many of you are also descended from immigrants”
Thinking of Martin Luther King and the “dream” he had for African Americans to achieve full civil and political rights, the Pope added: “In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descended from immigrants. Tragically, the rights of those who were here long before us were not always respected,” Francis recalled, reaffirming his “highest esteem and appreciation” “for those peoples and their nations”. “Those first contacts were often turbulent and violent” but when the foreign people among us call out to us, we cannot commit the sins and mistakes of the past. In a strong allusion to the immigrants trying to reach the US via the Mexico border, Francis said; “On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome.”
Protect life, abolish the death penalty
The Pope recalled the evangelical “Golden Rule”: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. “This Rule,” Francis emphasized, “points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.” And here Francis spoke about the “responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development” and the commitment to abolishing the death penalty, as the country’s bishops have requested.
Combating poverty and defending the environment
The Pope recognised that a great deal has been done with regard to extreme poverty, but he said that “much more still needs to be done”, “keeping in mind all those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty”. “The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes.” Here, Francis dedicated a dense paragraph on “the right use of natural resources,” and the “proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and sustainable”. “A courageous and responsible effort” is needed to “redirect our steps” “and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity”. The Pope said he was convinced that Congress has an “important role to play” and that “America’s outstanding academic and research institutions can make a vital contribution in the years ahead.”
Dialogue and reconciliation
In an implicit reference to the thaw in US-Cuban relations, which can also be applied to the treaty on Iran’s nuclear programme, Francis recognised “the efforts made in recent months to help overcome historic differences linked to painful episodes of the past”. When nations that were once at odds engage again in dialogue – “a dialogue which may have been interrupted for the most legitimate of reasons – new opportunities open up for all”. “This has required, and requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as irresponsibility. “A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism.”
Putting an end to wars and the arms trade
“Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world.” Here we must ask ourselves: “Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.”
Support for the family which is under threat
And last but not least, the family. “How essential the family has been to the building of this country!”the Pope stressed. “ And how worthy it remains of our support and encouragement! Yet I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without. Fundamental relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family.
