The Many Extremely Emotional Faces of John Boehner, Moved by the Pope

Pope Francis received a standing ovation during a joint address before Congress Thursday morning where he spoke about climate change, marriage and family, and immigration.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 24: Pope Francis addresses a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on September 24, 2015 in Washington, DC.

The pope touched on a wide variety of topics; from the migration crisis in Europe and the United States’ own struggle with immigration from Latin America to the death penalty, climate change, poverty, and combating the arms trade.

People wait for Pope Francis to appear from the Speaker’s Balcony… 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.

The pope alluded to the instances of pedophilia committed by members of the USA clergy after recalling that priests and other religious workers in this country “in the field of education alone have had a fundamental role”.

“In Laudato Si, I called for a courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps and avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity”, he said.

Earlier in the day he had spoken to Congress in Washington DC, sharing a similar message, pleading with Americans not to be afraid of immigrants and to share the country’s wealth with the disadvantaged.

“I can not hide my concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without”, Francis said. Last month, he broke rhetorically from traditional Catholic teachings, declaring the church should do more to embrace those who follow religion but decide to divorce and remarry.

Father Atusameso said Pope Francis ultimately serves as the bridge between the rich and poor people of the world. He has been trying for 20 years to get a pope to speak before Congress, and Pope Francis is the only one who accepted his invitation to do so.

They were glued to it for 50 minutes, even those with aisle seats, and many College of the Holy Cross students who gathered for the viewing party at the Worcester campus thought Pope Francis homered.

Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic and the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, said the pope’s address was extraordinary and that it was a “day of great joy”.

He also stressed the need for prisoner rehabilitation because “every life is sacred”.