Pope Francis urged a more humane global system that respects the poor and the environment, as he criticized the economic order, in an address to the United Nations. The pontiff, whose reform-minded approach has won him a rousing global following even from non-believers, offered his vision of a better world on his latest stop of a US tour that has brought thousands to the streets to welcome him. Picture: REUTERS/Mike Segar

Pope Francis set to address fractious U.S. Congress

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/24/us-pope-usa-idUSKCN0RN1KZ20150924

The Latest: From Speaking in Capitol to Feeding the Homeless

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/latest-popes-address-congress-34000479

Pope Francis Calls for Peace, Environmental Stewardship in Congressional Address

http://www.newsweek.com/today-pope-franciss-visit-congress-st-patricks-cathedral-375918

Pope Francis addresses Washington crowd after historic speech to Congress – live

http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/sep/24/pope-francis-historic-address-congress-expectations-high-live-coverage

Pope Francis gives his first mass in America in Spanish and Latin after a morning with Obama, parades through the streets of DC and an address to bishops alluding to the 'pain' of the molestation scandal in the Catholic Church

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3245930/Pope-president-seek-common-ground-Oval-Office-visit.html

Pope Francis alludes to church molestation scandal and the 'pain' of past wounds during DC prayer service after historic speech at the White House and a pope-mobile parade past thousands of adoring fans

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3245930/Pope-president-seek-common-ground-Oval-Office-visit.html

Pope Francis Is In Washington

https://www.whitehouse.gov/campaign/pope-visit?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email504-link1&utm_campaign=pope

The White House Welcomes His Holiness Pope Francis

President Obama and the First Lady will welcome His Holiness Pope Francis to the White House on Wednesday, September 23 during his first trip to the United States. During the visit, the President and the Pope will continue the dialogue that began during the President's visit to the Vatican in March 2014, when they discussed their shared values and commitments on a wide range of issues.

Official Schedule for Pope Francis U.S. Visit 2015

http://www.popefrancisvisit.com/official-final-schedule-of-pope-francis-u-s-visit-2015/

Pope Francis Visits Washington D.C.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

4pm: Pope Francis arrives in D.C. at Joint Base Andrews at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

9:15 a.m: White House Welcoming Ceremony and personal meeting with President Barack Obama

11:00 a.m. Papal Parade along the Ellipse and the National Mall

11:30 a.m: Midday Prayer with U.S. bishops at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral in D.C.

4:15 p.m: Junipero Serra Canonization Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Thursday, September 24, 2015

9:20 a.m: Arrival at Capitol

10 a.m. Speech to the Senate and House of Representatives (Joint Session of Congress)

11 a.m. Brief appearance on West Front of Capitol

11:15 a.m: Visit to St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in D.C. and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington

4 p.m: Departure for New York from Joint Base Andrews (D.C.)

5 p.m. Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)

6:45 p.m. Evening prayer at St. Patrick’s Cathedral (New York)

Pope Francis Visits New York

Friday, September 25, 2015

8:30 a.m United Nations General-Assembly

11:30 a.m Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center

4 p.m. Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School in East Harlem

5 p.m. Papal motorcade through Central Park

6 p.m. Madison Square Garden Mass

Pope Francis Visits Philadelphia

Saturday, September 26, 2015

8:40 a.m Departure for Philadelphia from John F. Kennedy International Airport

9:30 a.m Arrival in Atlantic Aviation hangar at Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia

10:30 a.m Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul

4:45 p.m Visit to Independence Mall

7:30 p.m Visit to Festival of Families at Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Prayer Vigil with World Meeting of Families

Sunday, September 27, 2015

9:15 a.m Papal meeting with Bishops at St. Martin’s Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

11 a.m Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility

4 p.m Papal Mass for World Meeting of Families

7 p.m. Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families at Atlantic Aviation

8 p.m Departure for return to Rome

Where to Find Pope Francis This Week

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-mine/2015/09/21/pope-francis-schedule-for-his-us-visit

10 Ways to Participate in Pope Francis's US Visit

http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/

The Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C

http://www.stmatthewscathedral.org

photos

https://www.google.hr/search?q=Saint+Matthew’s+Cathedral&client=opera&hs=Lgg&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CDQQsARqFQoTCMHsqMmqisgCFUQOLAodHu4H2g&biw=1745&bih=857

St. Patrick's Church Washington DC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUbnbPcam64

St. Patrick's Cathedral New York

http://saintpatrickscathedral.org

photos

https://www.google.hr/search?q=St.+Patrick’s+Cathedral+(New+York)&client=opera&hs=X7L&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CDsQsARqFQoTCMen2ImsisgCFQvVLAodZO0Ixw&biw=1745&bih=857

Pope visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC

http://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2015/09/21/72551606/

Our Lady Queen of Angels School

http://www.olqaeastharlem.org/about/index

Pope Francis will visit Our Lady Queen Of Angels School in East Harlem

https://www.google.hr/search?client=opera&q=Our+Lady+Queen+of+Angels+School+in+East+Harlem&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=3iIBVue6BJPEtAH0pI6YCA#q=Our+Lady+Queen+of+Angels+School+in+East+Harlem&tbm=nws

Cathedral Basilica of Saints. Peter and Paul,photos

https://www.google.hr/search?q=Cathedral+Basilica+of+Saints.+Peter+and+Paul+philadelphia&client=opera&hs=4Hh&sa=X&biw=1745&bih=857&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ved=0CC8QsARqFQoTCLWm3qSzisgCFUWULAodXCwE5Q

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul

http://cathedralphila.org

Meeting with Bishops at St. Martin’s Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

http://www.popefrancisvisit.com/schedule/meeting-with-bishops-at-st-martins-chapel-st-charles-borromeo-seminary/

St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

http://www.heritageoffaithvisionofhope.com/st-charles-borromeo-seminary

Pope Francis has arrived in the United States. Here’s what to expect.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/09/22/what-to-expect-when-pope-francis-arrives-in-the-united-states/

Pope Francis’s chartered Alitalia jet landed at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday afternoon, with Vatican and American flags flying. The pope alighted from the plane to cheers under cloudy skies and a steady breeze that lifted the black robes of the awaiting bishops and kept the flags rippling.

Waiting for Francis: President Obama, who rarely greets arriving foreign dignitaries on the runway, where a red carpet had been rolled out Tuesday, just minutes before the plane touched down slightly ahead of schedule.

The president, the first lady, their two daughters and the president’s mother-in-law stood waiting at the bottom of the stairs, where they shook hands with Francis. Their presence spoke to the widespread anticipation of the pope’s six-day, three-city visit to the United States.

“Ho ho, hey hey, welcome to the U-S-A,” the crowd chanted as the pontiff held his small, white cap — called a zucchetto — in his hand, perhaps to prevent it from blowing off in the wind.

The welcoming party also included U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Kenneth Hackett, Washington Archbishop Cardinal Donald Wuerl, and St. Louis Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Beyond them, an exited crowd of hundreds — mostly young people — chanted “ole, ole!” and snapped pictures as the pope walked the carpet following a flight from Cuba.

Pope Francis left in a black Fiat, waving to the crowd through open windows – with a security team walking nearby – as he drove off.

The president lingered, as the young crowd roared “Thank you Obama! Thank you Obama!”

Pope Francis’s Fiat was long gone as the youth reached over the edge of the bleachers to touch the president, filled with residual excitement from watching the pope’s first moments in the United States.

[Pope wraps up Cuba visit with call for ‘revolution of tenderness’]

The runway transformed Tuesday afternoon into a spiritual shindig as hundreds of children, teens and young adults filled risers and played music, chanted and sang to warm up for the Holy Father’s arrival. Some 1,000 people were expected, but the security lines were long and slow to get in. Security was incredibly tight with all manner of armed military personnel around the small scene.

The Vatican selected four children in first, third, fifth and seventh grades from different Catholic schools in the Washington area to greet the pope, and as Color Guard members unfurled a red carpet on the concrete and security dogs sniffed around, the waiting crowd sang along to the 37-member wind ensemble from DeMatha High School in Hyattsville.

The scene felt like a pep rally as they sang “Louie, Louie” and “Sweet Caroline” and chanted “We love Francis, yes we do” back and forth between the risers.

Pope Francis left by motorcade for the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the United States on Massachusetts Avenue NW, where he will stay during his visit to Washington.

Obama and Francis were to drive into Washington separately, according to the White House. Normally, the president would ride back by helicopter — but he couldn’t on Tuesday, because the South Lawn — the Marine One landing pad — is already set up for the papal visit that’s scheduled for Wednesday.

The pope arrived at the Apostolic Nunciature just before 5 p.m., as hundreds cheered his motorcade, many ignoring police instructions to clear the street as they clamored to get closer to the building where the pope will sleep and raising their phones to snap videos.

This is the first time the 78-year-old Pope Francis, who is from Argentina, has ever stepped foot on U.S. soil. He will find everything from a grand presidential greeting to selfie requests — and a public that seems to have more admiration for him than it does for the rest of his church.

The pope’s U.S. visit is historic: On Thursday, Francis will become the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress.

In an early signal of the political implications of the papal visit, Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) came to the Senate floor on Tuesday afternoon, just as Francis set foot on American soil.

Sanders, a presidential candidate and one of the most liberal members of Congress, praised Francis for “speaking out with courage and brilliance about some of the most important issues facing our world.”

On the plane ride from Cuba to Washington, the pope spoke to reporters who asked him questions about claims that he is a communist. Francis insisted he is not liberal, defending his positions as consistent with Catholic Church doctrine.

“Maybe I have given an impression of being a little bit to the left,” the pope said, CNS reports. “But if they want me to recite the Creed, I can!”

He also reportedly gave a brief preview of what he will tell Congress, saying that he will speak in general terms about “bilateral relations and multinational relations as a sign of progress and coexistence.”

The papal visit also make a mess of Washington’s commute: With multiple days of transit disruptions, road closures and traffic backups, AAA Mid-Atlantic says it could be “apope-calyptic.”

[The pope arrives Tuesday. If you need to come downtown, leave your car at home and add extra time to your trip.]

More than an hour before Pope Francis’s arrival at the Apostolic Nunciature where he will sleep, about three dozen greeters waited singing hymns in Spanish and dancing in a circle led by four guitar players and tambourine shaker.

Among them were Michelle and Luis Padilla of Burtonsville, near Silver Spring. The Catholic municipal workers immediately requested five days off of work

when they learned the pope planned to visit the U.S. Luis Padilla, 48, says seeing a pope in the flesh is among his bucket list items.

“It’s like how people want to shake hands with a rocker at a concert. Just like that,” he said.

Part of the appeal for the self described Nuyoricans-boasting Puerto Rican and New York heritage-is seeing the first pope from a Latin American country, but Michelle Padilla says the bigger appeal is Francis’s accessibility and down to earth nature.

Through their Silver Spring parish, the Padillas nabbed tickets for the Wednesday canonization Mass of Junipero Serra. They plan to hit the road Wednesday at 3:30 a.m. and follow Francis to Philadelphia. The specter of clogged roads and crowds don’t daunt them.

“What does the traffic really mean? Nothing when you compare it to someone dying for you. The traffic is nothing,” said Michelle Padilla, 45.

Francis’s U.S. visit catapults him into the center of the political scrum surrounding some of his more recent remarks.

His recent changes to the church’s annulment process will be on the minds of many Catholics. For the members of Congress who will listen to the pope’s address at the U.S. Capitol, his recent encyclical on the environment or his many comments on poverty may be the focus. At least one Republican lawmaker — Rep. Paul A. Gosar, a Catholic representing Arizona — has vowed to boycott the Thursday speech over the pope’s stance on climate change.

The busy papal schedule really kicks into gear Wednesday: Obama will officially welcome him to the White House at 9:15 a.m. Once that’s over, there will be a popemobile parade around the Ellipse near the Mall. Then, Pope Francis will head to St. Matthew’s Cathedral, where he will pray with and address 400 U.S. bishops.

The canonization Mass of Junípero Serra begins at 4:30, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

During his visit, which will also take him to New York and Philadelphia, the pope will address the United Nations; visit a homeless shelter, a prison and an East Harlem school; hit Central Park and Madison Square Garden; and lead the concluding Mass at the World Meeting of Families, an international conference held every three years. Sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, the World Meeting of Families is the official reason for the pope’s U.S. visit.

As for what to expect from Pope Francis, Vatican experts and the media have been preparing themselves to observe and interpret this pope’s tendency to deviate from his official script. Francis gave some clues of the themes he may address in the United States during his time in Cuba, said Chad Pecknold, a theologian at Catholic University, the national university of the Catholic Church.

And it’s already clear that Pope Francis will speak about immigration and religious liberty during a major address at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Saturday.

But ultimately, Pope Francis’s unpredictable approach to the papacy means that “there’s just no template” for his first U.S. visit, Pecknold said.

“The only template for Francis is Francis,” he said.

What Pope Francis will do during his trip to Washington, New York and Philadelphia

http://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/local/2015-papal-visit/pope-francis-schedule/

White House guest list for the pope irks some conservatives

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/09/22/white-house-guest-list-for-the-pope-irks-some-conservatives/

Pope Francis defends his views: ‘Maybe I have given an impression of being a little bit to the left.’

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/09/22/pope-francis-says-hes-not-liberal-maybe-i-have-given-an-impression-of-being-a-little-bit-to-the-left/

Pope Francis defended his positions on the environment, the economy and other social issues during comments made to reporters on his plane ride from Cuba to the United States on Tuesday.

Reporters asked the pope about headlines claiming the he is a communist, according to the transcript published by Catholic News Service.

“I am certain I have never said anything more than what is in the social doctrine of the church,” he said, according to CNS. “I follow the church and in this I do not think I am wrong.”

“Maybe I have given an impression of being a little bit to the left,” the pope said. “And it if necessary, I’ll recite the creed. I am available to do that, eh.”

Pope Francis told the story relayed to him that a woman asked if he is the anti-pope because he does not wear red shoes.

Pope Francis also briefly talked about what he will tell Congress on Thursday, Time magazine reports. He plans to speak in general terms about “bilateral relations and multinational relations as a sign of progress and coexistence,” he said. He will not discuss the Cuba embargo: “I am almost sure that that embargo is not mentioned in the speech. … No, no, certain it is not.”

“Both presidents have referred to this,” he said, according to Time. “My desire is that they end up with a good result, that they reach an accord that says satisfies both sides, an accord, certainly.”

The pope also suggested that more Cuban prisoners may be freed in the future and called life imprisonment “a hidden death penalty.”

Francis said the trip to Cuba was unexpected. He said he had hoped to enter the United States through Mexico, but the plan changed when Cuban President Raul Castro and President Barack Obama announced they had an agreement normalize relations.

Reporters asked Pope Francis about his private, “spontaneous” meeting with former Castro and whether he thought Castro had “regretted” of having treated the Catholic Church so harshly.

“Regret is a very intimate thing, and it’s a thing of conscience,” he said. He said he spoke of Jesuits Castro has known and of the pope’s encyclical on the environment “because he is very interested in the theme of ecology.”

There are more atheists and agnostics entering Harvard than Protestants and Catholics

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/09/09/there-are-more-atheists-and-agnostics-entering-harvard-than-protestants-and-catholics/

Religion of Harvard University, class of 2019

Pope Francis

https://www.washingtonpost.com/pb/popefrancis/

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