My President and My Pope
CTA Staffer John Canales Gorczynski, was at the White House this morning at a reception for Pope Francis and President Barack Obama. The following is his reflection.
Obamas and Francis
Today started yesterday. A late flight into Washington, DC, from my home in Houston, Texas, landed me in hotel room long enough to get three hours sleep before waking up to greet Pope Francis at the White House. It was a quiet, cool walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to meet the crowds of people already in line hours before gates would open. After waiting in line to get in, waiting in line to get through metal detectors, waiting in line until the gate opened to the lawn, it was finally time to wait for the Welcome Ceremony to begin.
My early arrival did mean I was able to get a sweet view. Media from Matt Lauer to George Stephanopoulos were already doing live shots in preparation for the historic occasion. Right when the crowd thought they couldn't take any more waiting, military musicians in their dress uniforms and honor companies paraded in. It was almost time to welcome the Bishop of Rome. To flourish and fanfare played by the trumpeters on the balcony, Pope Francis and President Obama took the stage. First, it was my president’s turn to welcome my pope. President Obama did a fantastic job capturing the feelings of so many American Catholics in his welcoming remarks. He praised the Pontiff for leading on environmental issues, especially to protect those communities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Pope Francis also praised the President saying, he found it, "encouraging that you [President Obama] are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution.
Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem that can no longer be left to a future generation.” Pope Francis and President Obama both spoke of religious liberty. President Obama saying that we value religious liberty and view it as a founding principal for the United States. Pope Francis suggested there was concern among Catholics that in the efforts to build a “tolerant and inclusive” society, some religious liberties may be in jeopardy. This tension will certainly be one of the central debates in American public life in the coming years. And here I was, witnessing two great men exchange polite but pointed remarks with each other.
In the end, Pope Francis left me wanting more. With all the build up, and all the hype, he said some things I agreed with and some things I disagreed with. Maybe that’s the problem building him up too much. It is impossible that he will be able to or even want to make the changes so many of us are waiting for in the Catholic Church. But he is a voice for issues I care about: welcoming of immigrants, care for the environment, and diplomacy as the first and best option for international affairs.I guess we all need to remember, the moment we are waiting for comes after much waiting, waiting, and more waiting. So, what are you doing with that time to make sure you have a good seat for when history happens?
