Last month America was graced with a visitor that rode a personalized mobile, kissed the heads of babies and encouraged Americans to care more deeply for their environment.
Pope Francis, 78, is the first pope from Latin America and the third pope ever to visit the United States. He made a six-day visit to America lasting from September 22nd to September 27th, making stops at Washington D.C., New York City and Philadelphia during his stay.
The pope’s visit heralded the reawakening of a religious spirit within Americans. For some Stern students, the sight of the country so anticipating the pope’s arrival was refreshing. “It’s nice to see Americans care so much about religion and religious leaders for a change,” said one student.
The pope began his trip with an arrival at the Andrews Air Force Base just outside of Washington, D.C., after a four day visit to Cuba. There to greet him was President Obama, Vice President Biden, their families and crowds of cheering Americans. The pope was then welcomed at the White House with a special ceremony where he gave his first address to the American people, touching on issues and themes that would come to define his trip.
Identifying himself as the “son of an immigrant family,” the pope expressed a connection with the American nation, a country “largely founded by such families.” The pope also commended President Obama for his efforts to combat climate change and emphasized the importance of taking action to maintain the environment for the future generations. A parade through the National Mall followed, after which the pope led a midday prayer service and mass later that day.
The highlight of the pope’s second day in D.C. was his speech in Congress in which he quoted Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln, urging congressman to unite to serve the common good of society. “Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments and thus promoting the wellbeing of individuals and of peoples,” he said.
Since his appointment to the papacy in March 2013, Pope Francis has stood out from past popes by taking a humbler and less formal approach to his papacy. His teachings emphasize mercy over morality, compassion and love over condemnation.
While he hasn’t changed the official doctrine of the Catholic Church regarding issues such as abortion, homosexuality and birth control, the pope has taken a more compassionate and accepting approach towards people contending with these issues.
Perhaps that is why so many Americans—of different religious affiliations, cultures, and socioeconomic statuses—have found themselves enamored by the pope. Catholics and non-Catholics alike have been drawn toward the leader’s warm and caring nature, his messages of unity and inclusivity and his open heart.
Yet others see the pope as too liberal. The cover of Newsweek’s September 18th issue displayed a picture of the pope alongside the question, “Is the Pope Really Catholic?” In the past, the papacy has always assumed a conservative position, protecting the Church’s teachings. Francis’s choice to openly confront social issues such as capitalism and the environment has made people wary of his religious observance.
The second lap of the pope’s journey took place in New York City, where ticketholders lined the streets by Central Park to catch a glimpse of the beaming pope in white as the popemobile rode towards 60th street. The pope later paid a visit to the September 11th memorial and museum where he met with relatives of the fallen, offering words of comfort and support. He also gave an address to the United Nations General Assembly and visited the Our Lady Queen of Angels School in Harlem.
The day came to a dramatic close with mass in Madison Square Garden where 20,000 people were present.
In the city of unbridled commerce and capitalist success, the pope encouraged Americans to seek the welfare of the less fortunate who are falling through the cracks. “In big cities, beneath the roar of traffic, beneath the rapid pace of change, so many faces pass by unnoticed because they have no ‘right’ to be there, no right to be part of the city,” he said.
“They are the foreigners, the children who go without schooling, those deprived of medical insurance, the homeless, the forgotten elderly. These people stand at the edges of our great avenues, in our streets, in deafening anonymity.”
The pope’s final days in the States were spent in Philadelphia where he visited Independence Hall, led mass at the city’s Catholic basilica and attended the World Meeting of Families.
Though Pope Francis has bid the country farewell, his impassioned words and historic visit have yet to be forgotten.