Update: It has now been confirmed that Francis will indeed speak to Congress on September 24, 2015.
Original:
With Pope Francis having confirmed a stop in Washington during his upcoming visit to the United States this fall, there is now speculation that the pontiff may make a historic address to Congress while he’s in town. David Hawkings at the political blog Roll Call writes:
“Expectations are growing that Pope Francis will be ascending the House rostrum this fall, becoming the first pontiff ever to visit the Capitol and the most important voice of worldwide moral authority to address lawmakers in person since Nelson Mandela two decades ago.
If the congressional appearance comes off, the pope would be guaranteed more than an enormous American television audience — likely surpassing the numbers that tuned in for this year’s State of the Union address. More importantly, Francis would gain a unique opportunity to present his ideas for a more socially just society while making direct eye contact with one of the world’s most influential groups. For all its partisan dysfunction, Congress has an unequaled capacity to either impede or manifest the papal vision with the legislative proposals it chooses to rebuff or enact.”
Hawkings ponders whether Francis would school the legislators in social justice or possibly give them a critique similar to the one he offered the Curia in December, focusing in particular on the desire for power. Certainly there are some similarities between the ills in Rome and those in Washington.
As we’ve seen over and over, Francis isn’t one to hold back his opinion and he doesn’t shy away from making strong statements. If he were to address Congress, I would expect him to focus on the care of the poor, promoting the common good, and preserving justice–in other words, the same key themes he has emphasized throughout his papacy. There is certainly plenty of need in the United States for Francis to focus on, and his comments should make all members of Congress–regardless of their party affiliation–squirm in their seats.
The bigger question, of course, is whether or not they will actually heed the pope’s words.
