Pope Francis Discusses Climate Change, Poverty, and Immigrants During Visit to the U.S.

Pope Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, spoke about the necessity of combating climate change, reducing poverty and economic inequality, and providing refuge to immigrants and asylum seekers during an unprecedented welcome in the U.S. The Pope, who has previously mentioned fighting climate change as a priority of his papacy, urged America to assist in this effort. In remarks at the White House, he stated, 'It is clear to me that climate change is no longer an issue to be passed on to future generations.' People gathered in Maryland as the Pope's plane landed. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, who media reports indicated gave a 'full and heavy reception' to the Pope, had expressed similar sentiments three weeks prior. Francis also paid special attention to the topic of immigrants and refugees, referring to it as the 'primary duty' of the Church. A shop in Washington noted that Catholic communities and parishes might become divided and conflicted due to the large influx of Latin immigrants to the U.S. However, it added, 'But now, especially since there are resources available to help, do not fear welcoming them (immigrants).' Pope Francis, born in Argentina, is the first Latin American Pope in the Catholic Church. Government offices in Washington were closed during the Pope's visit due to security concerns. He emphasized the need to combat poverty and economic inequality once again. The Pope also called for the fight against sexual crimes and the end of sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests, stating that these crimes should never be repeated. His speech at St. Matthew's Cathedral was attended by at least 25,000 people who gathered inside and around the church. He also had a 45-minute private meeting with the President of the United States. Pope Francis is scheduled to speak at the United States Congress on Thursday. It is reported that after participating in a summit of leaders at the United Nations on Friday, he will head to Philadelphia on Sunday, where a crowd of 1.5 million is expected to await his visit and speech.