Preparing for Pope Francis’ visit

Pope Francis’ highly anticipated visit to the United States offers an opportunity to advance our understanding of the significant role that the pope and the Holy See play in world affairs. With embassies all over the world, not to mention its churches and other affililated institutions, the Catholic church is legendarily well-connected, a fact that could help the Obama administration when its priorities align.

Pope John Paul II visited the USA five times, in 1979, 1987, 1993, 1995 and 1999, and visited more cities in the United States than any other pope.

What do you think of the critiscism against Pope Francis? Officials will also be putting security fences around areas of Central Park and Fifth Avenue to control access through points where people will be electronically screened before getting access to the venues.

When Francis is spending time in the United Nations hallways, he’ll be riding around in a cart.

Security upgrades and road closures will disrupt daily routines in Washington, New York, and Philadelphia.

“He likes to, for example, see babies and go up to handicapped individuals”, Clancy told NBC News. In San Francisco he blessed Catholic AIDS patients and in Detroit he preached against abortion – a message he continued to deliver in a 1993 address in Denver, then again in his final address in St. Louis in 1999 where he visited with President Bill Clinton.

Officials are urging everyone to take advantage of mass transit whenever possible during the pope’s visit.

“We routinely, at the conclusion of a Yankee game, have tens of thousands of people leaving Yankee Stadium”, he said.

Francis, who has spoken out in strong terms against the actions of the Islamic State terrorist group in Iraq and Syria, is especially concerned about the fate of Christian communities in Muslim-majority countries.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said he’s confident in the security plan.

“USCIRF welcomes Pope Francis as a champion of the dignity of each and every member of the human family, a bold witness and apostle for religious freedom, and a powerful voice for the persecuted and the displaced around the world“, said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George.

Still, Schumer said the costs for the extra security are well worth it.

James Murray, the special agent in charge of the Secret Service Washington Field Office, said at the press event that the pope’s visit was deemed a special national security event this May, the 50th time an event in the USA has been given that title. We have the equipment. “My concern is simply that there’s a lot of moving parts, but we know how to bring them together”.

With the coverage of Pope Francis in Cuba, and his pending arrival in the US later this week, Americans and Latinos are feeling keen on both the Pontiff and his choice of locale to kick off his tour, according to a Marist Poll conducted for Telemundo and MSNBC.

The Vatican described the 40-minute session with Fidel Castro at the former president’s home as “informal and familial”, with an exchange of books and discussion about big issues facing humanity, including Francis’ recent encyclical on the environment and the global economic system.

Pope Francis (L) waves as he arrives, accompanied by Cuba’s President Raul Castro, at the airport in Havana, Cuba, September 19, 2015.