For pope visit, local homeless advocate invited to White House

The choice of vehicle was in keeping with his simple habits and his stand against consumerism.

It may have been summed up best by Bishop Gregory Hartmayer of the Savannah Catholic Diocese “We’re looking forward to seeing the pope and welcoming him to the USA , listening to his wisdom and his words and his reflection on the importance of the family”.

In fact, Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) will reportedly be treated to performances from Jennifer Hudson, Gloria Estefan and Harry Connick Jr. when he delivers mass at Madison Square Garden later this week.

He will preside over an inter-faith ceremony at Ground Zero, visit a Harlem Catholic school and greet crowds on a procession through Central Park.

“I’m glad he’s meeting with the president”, Schneck said. No one, Francis said, is excluded from God’s love.

White House workers aren’t the only ones getting ready.

Pope Francis descends the stairs from his aircraft on Tuesday.

Over North Carolina, the Alitalia jet transporting Pope Francis is reported to have circled several times before continuing its journey north to the nation’s capital. “We’ve made a lot of steps forward in addressing the issues of hunger and homelessness, but we have a long way to go. I would just like to treat people how I would like to be treated myself”. Francis will not be meeting with dissidents during his visit, sparking critiques from the political opposition who say they feel let down by an institution they believe should help push for greater freedom in Cuba. It’s the largest model available in the U.S.

Recent polling shows Francis is widely popular among Americans.

Many USA bishops have struggled to come to terms with Francis’ focus on social justice. Francis remains opposed to abortion and same-sex marriage, even if he doesn’t highlight it as often.

Americans are also wrestling anew with issues of racism. He has never visited the United States. Francis will see that system up close when he meets with inmates at a Pennsylvania prison.

But he’s going to be an “equal opportunity disturber”, said Rev. James Martin S.J., editor at large for America magazine, the journal of U.S. Jesuits. No handshakes, selfies or fist bumps when Pope Francis enters the House chamber for his historic speech to Congress on Thursday. “In our house?'” said Bailey. “It’s our hope that the visit of Pope Francis will change this narrative”.

– Pope Francis arrives in Washington D.C. on Tuesday and the excitement level is growing.

In the commencement speech, Obama recalled his days as a community organizer in Chicago and how much he admired Bernardin. And laughing, he said, if it’s necessary that I recite the credo of the Catholic Church, I’m willing to do it.

During his Cuba visit, Francis discreetly refrained from chastising the communist regime for its crackdowns on dissidents and curbs on civil liberties.