Why one Republican congressman says he was “disappointed” by Pope Francis

Washington, D.C. may be more than 1,000 miles away, but for a group of students at a small Dallas Catholic school, the pope’s congressional address hit close to home.

“Knowing that the Pope knows that we’re doing good work, that’s incredibly exciting”, said Erik Moss, Program Supervisor with Catholic Charities of Dallas. And he did so to the very audience of legislators that “failed” to approve a sweeping legalization program for 11 million people, mostly Catholic Latinos, living in the United States without residency papers to gain legal status.

The sergeant at arms intoned “Mr Speaker, the pope of the Holy See”, and Francis made his way up the centre aisle in his white robes, moving slowly as politicians applauded enthusiastically, some lowering their heads in bows.

With a handshake and a smile, John Boehner welcomed Pope Francis to his ornate ceremonial office in the Capitol prior to the first papal address to Congress in history. He challenged us to rescue our planet from the climate crisis that threatens the future of our children and the health of God’s creation – and to do so sensitive to the needs of the poor.

Pope Francis’s message was surprisingly direct on pushing against the congressional gridlock that has prevented positive reforms.

The 78 year-old Pope called on the USA and the world to treat migrants and refugees in a just and humane way. “Let us seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves”. Before Congress today, the pontiff said, “The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development.”

“We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our “neighbors” and everything around us”, Francis said, speaking in English to steady rounds of applause from the bipartisan gathering of members of Congress.

Two of the city’s top Democrats used Pope Francis’ speech to Congress on Thursday to reaffirm their position immigration, inequality and the treatment of refugees who seek asylum from the United States.

“Legislative activity is always based on care for the people”, Francis said.

Some 61 percent of USA adults polled this month said they supported the pontiff’s call to climate, which was the subject of a July encyclical which was the first major writing of any pope focused on the environment.