(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Thursday (24th September) made history by becoming the first Pope ever to address a joint session of the United States Congress. In his wide-ranging address that was frequently interrupted by applause, the Pope touched on many themes including the need for politics to serve the common good, the importance of cooperation and solidarity, the dangers of fundamentalism, the refugee crisis, abolition of the death penalty, the need for courageous acts to avert environmental deterioration, the evils of the arms trade and threats to the family from within and without. During his speech he also mentioned four great Americans from the past, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton, saying that each of them helped build a better future for the people of the U.S.
Find below the full text of Pope Francis’ address to the Joint Session of the United States Congress
Mr.
Vice-President,
Mr. Speaker,
Honorable Members of Congress,
Dear Friends,
I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session of
Congress in “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. I would
like to think that the reason for this is that I too am a son of this great
continent, from which we have all received so much and toward which we share a
common responsibility.
Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and social
responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable
this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation. You are
the face of its people, their representatives. You are called to defend
and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the tireless and demanding
pursuit of the common good, for this is the chief aim of all politics. A
political society endures when it seeks, as a vocation, to satisfy common needs
by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of
greater vulnerability or risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for
the people. To this you have been invited, called and convened by those
who elected you.
Yours is a work which makes me reflect in two ways on the figure of
Moses. On the one hand, the patriarch and lawgiver of the people of
Israel symbolizes the need of peoples to keep alive their sense of unity by
means of just legislation. On the other, the figure of Moses leads us
directly to God and thus to the transcendent dignity of the human being.
Moses provides us with a good synthesis of your work: you are asked to protect,
by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned by God on every human
face.
Today I would like not only to address you, but through you the entire people
of the United States. Here, together with their representatives, I would like
to take this opportunity to dialogue with the many thousands of men and women
who strive each day to do an honest day’s work, to bring home their daily
bread, to save money and –one step at a time – to build a better life for their
families. These are men and women who are not concerned simply with
paying their taxes, but in their own quiet way sustain the life of
society. They generate solidarity by their actions, and they create
organizations which offer a helping hand to those most in need.
I would also like to enter into dialogue with the many elderly persons who are
a storehouse of wisdom forged by experience, and who seek in many ways,
especially through volunteer work, to share their stories and their
insights. I know that many of them are retired, but still active; they
keep working to build up this land. I also want to dialogue with all
those young people who are working to realize their great and noble
aspirations, who are not led astray by facile proposals, and who face difficult
situations, often as a result of immaturity on the part of many adults. I
wish to dialogue with all of you, and I would like to do so through the
historical memory of your people.
My visit takes place at a time when men and women of good will are marking the
anniversaries of several great Americans. The complexities of history and
the reality of human weakness notwithstanding, these men and women, for all
their many differences and limitations, were able by hard work and
self-sacrifice – some at the cost of their lives – to build a better
future. They shaped fundamental values which will endure forever in the
spirit of the American people. A people with this spirit can live through
many crises, tensions and conflicts, while always finding the resources to move
forward, and to do so with dignity. These men and women offer us a
way of seeing and interpreting reality. In honoring their memory, we are
inspired, even amid conflicts, and in the here and now of each day, to draw
upon our deepest cultural reserves.
I would like to mention four of these Americans: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther
King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.
This year marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the assassination
of President Abraham Lincoln, the guardian of liberty, who labored tirelessly
that “this nation, under God, [might] have a new birth of freedom”.
Building a future of freedom requires love of the common good and cooperation
in a spirit of subsidiarity and solidarity.
All of us are quite aware of, and deeply worried by, the disturbing social and
political situation of the world today. Our world is increasingly a place
of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities, committed even in the name
of God and of religion. We know that no religion is immune from forms of
individual delusion or ideological extremism. This means that we must be
especially attentive to every type of fundamentalism, whether religious or of
any other kind. A delicate balance is required to combat violence
perpetrated in the name of a religion, an ideology or an economic system, while
also safeguarding religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms.
But there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the
simplistic reductionism which sees only good or evil; or, if you will, the
righteous and sinners. 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. We know that
in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we can be tempted to feed the
enemy within. To imitate the hatred and violence of tyrants and murderers
is the best way to take their place. That is something which you, as a
people, reject.
Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and
justice. We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to
resolve today’s many geopolitical and economic crises. Even in the
developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too
apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs,
maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and
of peoples. We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of
fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good.
The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of
cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the
United States. The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of these
challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to
support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of
conscience.
In this land, the various religious denominations have greatly contributed to
building and strengthening society. It is important that today, as in the
past, the voice of faith continue to be heard, for it is a voice of fraternity
and love, which tries to bring out the best in each person and in each
society. Such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to
eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave injustices which can be
overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus.
Here I think of the political history of the United States, where democracy is
deeply rooted in the mind of the American people. All political activity
must serve and promote the good of the human person and be based on respect for
his or her dignity. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all
men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness” (Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776). If politics must
truly be at the service of the human person, it follows that it cannot be a
slave to the economy and finance. Politics is, instead, an expression of
our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest
common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order
to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social
life. I do not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but I
encourage you in this effort.
Here too I think of the march which Martin Luther King led from Selma to
Montgomery fifty years ago as part of the campaign to fulfill his “dream” of
full civil and political rights for African Americans. That dream
continues to inspire us all. I am happy that America continues to be, for
many, a land of “dreams”. Dreams which lead to action, to participation,
to commitment. Dreams which awaken what is deepest and truest in the life
of a people.
In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream
of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this continent, are
not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners. I say
this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also
descended from immigrants. Tragically, the rights of those who were here
long before us were not always respected. For those peoples and their
nations, from the heart of American democracy, I wish to reaffirm my highest
esteem and appreciation. Those first contacts were often turbulent and
violent, but it is difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the
present. Nonetheless, when the stranger in our midst appeals to us, we
must not repeat the sins and the errors of the past. 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. Building
a nation calls us to recognize that we must constantly relate to others,
rejecting a mindset of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal
subsidiarity, in a constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we
can do this.
Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since the Second
World War. This presents us with great challenges and many hard
decisions. On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to travel
north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in
search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want for our own
children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but rather view
them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their stories, trying to
respond as best we can to their situation. To respond in a way which is
always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a common temptation
nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome. Let us remember the
Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Mt 7:12).
This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with the
same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us seek
for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let us
help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a word,
if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us give life;
if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities. The yardstick we
use for others will be the yardstick which time will use for us. The
Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human
life at every stage of its development.
This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to advocate at
different levels for the global abolition of the death penalty. I am
convinced that this way is the best, since every life is sacred, every human
person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit
from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes. Recently my brother
bishops here in the United States renewed their call for the abolition of the
death penalty. Not only do I support them, but I also offer encouragement
to all those who are convinced that a just and necessary punishment must never
exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.
In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail to mention
the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic Worker Movement.
Her social activism, her passion for justice and for the cause of the
oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and the example of the
saints.
How much progress has been made in this area in so many parts of the
world! How much has been done in these first years of the third
millennium to raise people out of extreme poverty! I know that you share
my conviction that much more still needs to be done, and that in times of
crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not be lost.
At the same time I would encourage you to keep in mind all those people around
us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. They too need to be given
hope. The fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and
on many fronts, especially in its causes. I know that many Americans
today, as in the past, are working to deal with this problem.
It goes without saying that part of this great effort is the creation and
distribution of wealth. The right use of natural resources, the proper
application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of enterprise are
essential elements of an economy which seeks to be modern, inclusive and
sustainable. “Business is a noble vocation, directed to producing wealth
and improving the world. It can be a fruitful source of prosperity for
the area in which it operates, especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an
essential part of its service to the common good” (Laudato Si’, 129).
This common good also includes the earth, a central theme of the encyclical
which I recently wrote in order to “enter into dialogue with all people about
our common home” (ibid., 3). “We need a conversation which includes
everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human
roots, concern and affect us all” (ibid., 14).
In Laudato Si’, I call for a courageous and responsible effort to “redirect our
steps” (ibid., 61), and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental
deterioration caused by human activity. I am convinced that we can make a
difference, I'm sure and I have no doubt that the United States – and this
Congress – have an important role to play. Now is the time for courageous
actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a “culture of care” (ibid., 231)
and “an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the
excluded, and at the same time protecting nature” (ibid., 139). “We have
the freedom needed to limit and direct technology” (ibid., 112); “to devise
intelligent ways of… developing and limiting our power” (ibid., 78); and to put
technology “at the service of another type of progress, one which is healthier,
more human, more social, more integral” (ibid., 112). In this regard, I
am confident that America’s outstanding academic and research institutions can
make a vital contribution in the years ahead.
A century ago, at the beginning of the Great War, which Pope Benedict XV termed
a “pointless slaughter”, another notable American was born: the Cistercian monk
Thomas Merton. He remains a source of spiritual inspiration and a guide
for many people. In his autobiography he wrote: “I came into the
world. Free by nature, in the image of God, I was nevertheless the
prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness, in the image of the world
into which I was born. That world was the picture of Hell, full of men
like myself, loving God, and yet hating him; born to love him, living instead
in fear of hopeless self-contradictory hungers”. Merton was above all a
man of prayer, a thinker who challenged the certitudes of his time and opened
new horizons for souls and for the Church. He was also a man of dialogue,
a promoter of peace between peoples and religions.
From this perspective of dialogue, I would like to recognize the efforts made
in recent months to help overcome historic differences linked to painful
episodes of the past. It is my duty to build bridges and to help all men
and women, in any way possible, to do the same. When countries which have
been at odds resume the path of dialogue – a dialogue which may have been interrupted
for the most legitimate of reasons – new opportunities open up for all.
This has required, and requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as
irresponsibility. A good political leader is one who, with the interests
of all in mind, seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism.
A good political leader always opts to initiate processes rather than
possessing spaces (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 222-223).
Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to
minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed conflicts throughout our
world. Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold
to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society?
Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched
in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable
silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.
Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four dreams:
Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and non-exclusion;
Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons; and Thomas Merton, the
capacity for dialogue and openness to God.
Four representatives of the American people.
I will end my visit to your country in Philadelphia, where I will take part in
the World Meeting of Families. It is my wish that throughout my visit the
family should be a recurrent theme. How essential the family has been to
the building of this country! And how worthy it remains of our support
and encouragement! Yet I cannot hide my concern for the family, which is
threatened, perhaps as never before, from within and without. Fundamental
relationships are being called into question, as is the very basis of marriage
and the family. I can only reiterate the importance and, above all, the
richness and the beauty of family life.
In particular, I would like to call attention to those family members who are
the most vulnerable, the young. For many of them, a future filled with
countless possibilities beckons, yet so many others seem disoriented and
aimless, trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse and despair. Their
problems are our problems. We cannot avoid them. We need to face
them together, to talk about them and to seek effective solutions rather than
getting bogged down in discussions. At the risk of oversimplifying, we
might say that we live in a culture which pressures young people not to start a
family, because they lack possibilities for the future. Yet this same
culture presents others with so many options that they too are dissuaded from
starting a family.
A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when
it fosters a culture which enables people to “dream” of full rights for all
their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives
for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless
work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the
contemplative style of Thomas Merton.
In these remarks I have sought to present some of the richness of your cultural
heritage, of the spirit of the American people. It is my desire that this
spirit continue to develop and grow, so that as many young people as possible
can inherit and dwell in a land which has inspired so many people to
dream.
God bless America!
Source: Vatican Radio
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