members of congress who are planning to watch this speech. also, there is a lot of interest in what is happening outside on the ground, thousand was people gathered to watch vicariously through the jumbo transand get to experience the pope's presence here on capitol hill. certainly momentous, since he is the first pope ever to address a joint meeting of congress. we're hearing from speaker boehner over the last couple of days how excited he is, telling the local paper in ohio, this is a big step for a man who grew up catholic, in a very catholic home. the house speaker just yesterday put out a message to members and to the public saying here's what i know about the speech. it will be in english. the pope won't be using a teleprompter. that's all i'm concerned about now. >> thank you. you are watching live coverage

of pope francis' address to congress which will take place about a half hour from now. there is also massive climate change rally happening at the same time. environmental groups, faith groups convening. they are on point with the pope's message about our common home. you've heard us talk about. we're going to have a live report from that rally coming up right after the break.

>> welcome back. these are live pictures looking out at the national mall in our nation's capitol. the throngs gathered to hope to catch a glimpse of pope francis, they also hope to see his

address to congress on jumbotrons. let's head out to del walters who is among the crowds. >> i'm here at that climate change rally that is taking place on the national mall. if you can go back to that shot that we saw, we are on the other side of that pool, where they have been gathered. they have been gathering here since about 6:00 this morning. you see the washington monument in the foreground. there are big screens set up on the mall, and big screens set up for the climate change rally. from time to time there are speakers, from time to time there are entertainers, sometimes they show film clips. this is a saying in washington wherever there is a crowd, there

is a concern. do we have ashar qureshi? is ashar out there? he is in the thick of things. he is right in the middle of the climate change rally. but right now joining me here is father joe curry from georgetown university. as i was hearing them talk in the studio, the thing that impressed me the most was knowing we are talking about a pope that wants to bring simplicity back to the masses. yesterday we saw the pomp and circumstances. how do you bring the faithful back into the church when there are so many trappings that want that huge church to signify that presence. >> that's an interesting reaction. actually that was toned down in

terms of the pomp and circumstance, but the pope is very aware of that. he constantly tries to play down the pomp and circumstance, but you have to -- he's dealing with a lot of people, and some people want a lot more, so it's a constant struggle. i personally think that was rather moderate, considering the -- the crowd that he had to deal with. >> and so that our audience understands right you, you are looking at statuary hall. you can see the celebratory mood here in the nation's capitol right now. a second ago there was a sign that said aloha, an indication

that people have come from all over to be part of this historic moment. a moment when the pope will address the people in washington, d.c. and then address the congress as well. the question i asked a moment ago was the issue of pomp and circumstance, and the fact that the church is losing people by the droves because they say they don't want denominations anymore. do you believe the trappings when people wanted to be part of that huge catholicism. is that getting in the way now to this pope wanting to get back to the people? mr. hornbeck, i'll let you answer. >> dell, that's a great question. let me answer quickly to say religious does a number of things in the world.

there is the service for those that have the least among us, and then grand dee sty, is more of the transcendent side. but i think it's more of a both/and, than an either/or. >> there is a balance between being able to hear ashar qureshi and not being able to hear ashar qureshi. ashar i'm going to let you start speaking now, so we can hear you, because there is that lull in the storm. >> let's take advantage, del. that's right. activists have come out here today to rally to bring attention to climate change ahead of the address that the pope is giving in congress in a short time. and they know the pope will be addressing the issues of climate change and that's one of the things they are trying to use as

a springboard to change it from a political obligation to a moral obligation. this is entitled a moral call to justice for climate justice. activists really think the pope's stance in june is going to make a big difference to reach across to people who don't see this as a moral issue, and are in denial about man's role in climate change. one of the artists that was speaking and performing here today was moby. >> the koch brothers and the oil companies have found it politically expeedant to say that climate change doesn't exist. the truth is everybody know that it exists. the pope knows it. the president knows. everyone here, all of the voters know it. so for the longest time

republicans have had to toe this party line that even they knew wasn't true, and i think those days are coming to an end. i don't think you can be elected on a national level and say that climate change isn't real? >> and del, it remains a difficult issue particularly for politically conservative catholics in this areas where fossil fuels are important to the company. we travelled to the largest producing state of coal to get a gauge of what people think of what this means for them and how it can potentially shape the conversation. wyoming is the top coal producing state in the nation. 6500 work in the mines, thousands more depend on the industry. it struck a nerve when the pope released a document pointing to the negative effects of pollution and climate change, and specifically calling for a

phasing out of fossil fuels. >> it's going to hit really hard in wyoming especially because the people supported by the fossil fuels tend to be these blue collar workers that pope francis wanted to identify with. >> this professor has worked in the mines himself and recognizes this message from pope francis may not resinate with many politically conservative catholics. >> there's a suspicion of science, that science isn't a reliable basis, because it can be bought, and pope francis stresses truth in the end is one thing, so the view of science and view of religion, view of philosophy these other ways of obtains truth are complementary, not opposed. >> still in wyoming less than half of the people believe that

climate change could harm future generations. some say the pope's stance has sparked a reexamination about the potential conflict between a mine worker's livelihood and their rely goes obligations. michael worked in the wyoming mining industry for 5.5 years. he recently moved north. >> what i took from it is he wants to start the discussion. coal is not a renewable energy. >> but he says while pope francis has given clearer direction on climate change, the economic realities here in wyoming may trump church doctrine for many. >> he talked about everything is connected so that doesn't mean the end product of turning your lights on, that they are not, quote unquote, as guilty as we would be, so it had to be a

whole societal change to end the coal mines. >> it's a cause the pontiff continues to champion. and del, in his encyclical, he calls for a bold stance. but again this is a sticky issue particularly for conservative catholics, and it will be interesting to see how the pope's message in congress is received by those who don't necessarily agree with his views on climate change. del? >> ashar qureshi thank you very much. we're here on the national mall whereas you can see the climate change rally that asher has been talking about is in full gear. this is not the first time there has been religion capitol hill,

so to speak. they had church there up until the late 1950s. we're going to take a break. i'm del walters on capitol hill, you are watching al jazeera america. ♪

we're going to get back to our special coverage in just a moment, but we want to update you on a dropping story from saudi arabia, the death toll from a stampede in mecca has risen above 700. around 2 million people are in mecca for the pilgrimage, it

ends today. mecca is still reeling from another tragedy just weeks ago when a construction crane collapsed near the main square. that accident killed more than 100 people and injured more than 200. >> i see a smooth process happening, taking place. i need to explain what [ inaudible ] is, it's east of mecca, more than 15 to 18 kilometers to the east of the holy city of mecca. it's a massive tent city, and it's full of pilgrims, and it's a huge number, it's a headache for the saudi authorities to try to control the flow. >> we'll continue to update you on that developing story, but i want to get back to our live coverage of pope francis's visit

to the u.s. capitol. and we are seeing now members of congress enter the house chamber. let's go live to libby casey who is in the rotunda there. we see joe biden in this fraim here, libby. >> that's right, stephanie. the vice president has lead members of the senate over to the house chamber, and so they are now entering. you can see there are already house members gathered. also a lot of other guests including some presidential candidates, like ben carson is there, newt gingrich is on hand. members were allowed to invite someone, tickets were very precious and there was a lot of personal consideration. some members of congress invited spiritual leaders. invited the catholic members, some of them invited nuns or priests who have been significant in their life, others invited family members for whom this would be a significant experience. about a third of the house is

catholic, and about a quarter of the u.s. senate. but even non-catholic members are celebrating this moment, stephanie. and we're so used to a build up of the state of the union spe speeb -- speech that the president gives. people are talking politics. there's a little bit of nervousness about what the pope will say. but there is generally a lot of enthusiasm in a way we don't always see. we're looking at a couple more presidential candidates, remembers of the senate, bernie sanders, who is running for president they will all be on hand today stephanie. >> okay. i want to go to mike viqueira who is inside the house chamber. >> i am in the chamber, the balconies are packed and -- let's pause for a moment. >> gentlemen from south

carolina -- >> reporter: and stephanie as libby just alluded to a lot of ritual here. the speaker now naming the so-called escort committee who will go outside, meet the pope, and bridge him in here. it's a packed chamber, everybody is standing. you don't normally see people standing in the balconies as the senate walks in. at this moment it is a packed chamber you see. clergy, bishops, there's a bishop sitting behind me, directly behind me is governor chris christy. who says he is thrilled to be here. so a packed chamber, a lot of anticipation, some unusual procedures here as you see these senators continue to file in. normally at the center aisle,

members of congress at the state of the union, they camp out there for hours in hopes they can get on camera, greeting and back slapping and doing things that members like to do to get themselves on camera, frankly. this time the leadership has frowned on that. the first two seats on either side of the aisle have been reserved for certain members and they have been asked not to do the greeting, certainly no selfies, asking them not to interrupt with applause, to maintain a sense of decorum throughout this. this is a very big moment for john boehner, of course he was raised in a catholic home, he said he tried many, many times to get the pope -- pope benedict before him and the pope before him, to come and speak to a

joint member of congress. this is the first time he has been successful. his aids say this is one of his biggest days of his entire career and certainly his speakership. >> we heard there was a memo instructing congress to refrain from handshakes along and down the center aisle. so clearly the leaders trying to keep everyone in line for this. we have also heard from david shuster that they are tending to line the center aisle with those that they know will behave themselves. >> that's right. and one of them jokingly referred to them as blockers. those who would not perform any sort of -- anything that would embarrass the house or the senate. i think they are under pretty strict orders here. i have been inside this chamber for several addresses, joint

meetings and states of the union. sometimes when a foreign leader comes here, it's pretty short in attendance, and they have in the past, back when there were house pages, filled them in with pages, any other staffers just for the sake of appearance, so no one was embarrassed by 'em tie seats in the house chamber. not the case today, packed to the rafters, people standing in the back of the chamber, and again, the people in the balcony, a coveted ticket, chris christie tells me he got his ticket from a freshmen from new york, and he joked when he ran into other members of the new jersey delegation today around the house chamber, he teased him about not offering

the ticket himself, but nevertheless it is a reverential crowd. again, people standing in their seats. i have never seen that before. there are clergy, bishops, a bishop behind me from illinois, we have been chatting for quite sometime. everything eagerly anticipating this address. notwithstanding the political overtones here. notwithstanding the fact that there is going to be something in it for everyone. i'm just seeing a reverential setting right now for members across the aisle. >> always interesting, mike, to which see lawmakers the camera focuses in on, they have come from the political spectrum, we saw several shots of presidential candidate marco rubio, more on the right side of the spectrum. let's check in with libby casey

to talk about faith's role in congress. libby. >> it's interesting, pew did a study earlier this year when the new congress came in, looking at how religious is our united states congress, and less than 1% of members of congress say that they really don't have a strong faith. compare that to a quarter of americans, and so whether that's because members of congress are -- are checking a box, or whether it's because they practice their faith on a regular basis, it changes from member to member, but we do see -- as we said a third of house members are catholic, a quarter of senate members are catholic, so for them this is a deeply personal experience. and as you watch some of the rhetoric surrounding this address, many members are just interested in experiencing this moment, hearing a message from the pope that they hope transcends politics. it may certainly hit on hot

button items, but certainly is a rallying cry to unity and working for the benefit of the people, stephanie. >> libby thank you. i want to bring patrick hornbeck in on this conversation about faith and politics in this country. there has been a catholic president in this country. but there has never been somebody who has stumped on not believing in god and not having faith. >> that's entirely right. and there are public polls that show when you ask americans if they would accept -- and fill in the blank as -- as president, the last number i saw said that fewer than 60% of americans would be comfortable with an atheist president. so even though we're seeing this giant social shift where many more people are saying they are much more comfortable not being

religious, we don't see that in policy. >> it is almost, i think still taboo to be an elected official in this country and not go to a church or temple or something or some kind. >> that's exactly right, and witness the controversy of president obama's own religious faith. the number of people who have made insinuations to the contrary that he is a christian is amazing. >> let's go back to mike viqueira. >> the first-ever address by a pope to the joint meeting of congress. as we witness some more members coming in. we see members of the supreme court coming in. six of whom are members of the catholic faith. i'm watching joe biden, and john boehner chatting. let's listen in.

>> mr. speaker, the chief justice and associate justices of the supreme court. [ applause ] >> announcing the entrance of the supreme court. let's see how many justices we get. >> four justices to at ten. chief justice roberts, justices kennedy, ginsburg, and soto may ore. >> interesting we don't see anthony scalia, the italian american justice. he is not in attendance. >> mike, i know you have to be quiet, so let's check back in with libby casey. we are now seeing secretary of state john kerry, jacob lou, other cabinet secretaries

proceed into the chamber. >> that's right, stephanie, and members of the cabinet, the supreme court justices were all invited. but it is certainly not mandatory. and we are missing scalia, thomas, scroll -- scalia, all three have opted not to attend. we did see some of the justices, three of them, at tend yesterday's mass. the canonization mass, so this will be another experience for justices roberts, kennedy and soto mie ore today. >> let's bring in david shuster now. on these justices that are and are not attending this historic

event. pope francis becoming the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of congress. david what can you tell us about the absences. >> well, scalia has not attended a speech to congress in some 14 years. the last one was when president bush spoke nine days after the 9/11 attacks. he had not been to a state of the union since 1997. and he has repeatedly described it as a childish spectacle. and a lot of people think, well, he's a devout catholic, we'll put that feeling aside today. well, clearly scalia, and alito, and clarence thomas, all catholics, have decided for whatever reason -- it might be

scheduling, but for whatever reason they have decided not to be there. >> they do tend to be the more conservative members on the high court, and this is a man who has in some cases been aligned on the progressive agenda. mike viqueira is our correspondent in the chamber, mike, tell us what you are seeing now. >> as it strikes me, we talk about all of this in a political context, and what the pope might say about immigration or climate change, or abortion, i think it's very important as patrick and i and the rest of us have been talking, it's easy for us who cover politics to reach for the easy labels, right, left, red, blue, while pope francis is obviously cognizant of politics,

and many who have watched him say he has political talent. some have even described him on par with the mafia talent without the bad stuff. [ laughter ] >> he is saying what he simply thinks is the right thing to say, and it transcends the easy labels that we reach for her as americans. he is a liberal, he is a conservative, she is a this, and she is a that, so i think it's important to keep in mind as he hits the points we're all going to be looking for in terms of some of those hot button issues, in the end he is going to call them as he sees them as a clergyman as the leader of 1.2 billion catholics around the world. >> such an interesting time as i look at the live pictures of the

supreme court justices who have chosen to attend this event, an interest historic time for the pope to make this appearance. just months ago the supreme court ruled on system marriage. that is something that the vatican criticized when ireland made that legal. you wonder, despite about everything he focuses on, if he is aware that he is coming at this -- this point in american history. >> well i don't think there's any question that he is aware of what is going on, and i would not be surprised if we saw a reference to family values for lack of a better term -- there i go being an american again -- >> let's listen in, mike, as we see the pontiff entering the chamber, or about to. let's see if question get some audio here. >> see john boehner looking down the aisle waiting for the cue.

there is still a murmur here in the chamber, and when the gavel comes down -- let's listen, yes. >> mr. speaker! the pope of the holy sea! [ cheers and applause ] >> remarkable site, stephanie. you are seeing history in the making. [ cheers and applause ] >> shaking the hand of secretary kerry there, as we makes his way down the center aisle towards the speaker's well here. [ cheers and applause ]

>> everyone on their feet in the balconies and on the floor. the pope now taking his place. where so many presidents and heads of state have spoken before. [ applause ] >> stephanie, i think they are trying to get all of their applause out of the way now. they have been told not to

applause during speech. let's listen. >> i have the distinct honor of presenting to you, pope francis of the holy seat. [ applause ] >> mr. vice president, mr. speak speaker, 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. [ cheers and applause ] >> i would like to say 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 for which we shall

assume responsibility. each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal, a social responsibility. you have one 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. they are 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 [ inaudible ] to satisfy common needs, by stimulating the growth of all its members, especially those in situations of great vulnerability or risk. legislative activity is always based as the care of -- for these people. to this you have been invited, called, convened by those who elect you.

yours is [ inaudible ] which makes me reflect in two ways on mos moses. the giver of the people of israel symbolizes the need of people to keep alive their sense of unity by means of just legislation. on the other, the pharaohs, moses, leads us directly to god, and thus, to the dignity of the human being. [ applause ] >> moses provided us with

[ inaudible ]. we are asked to protect by means of the law the image and likeness fashioned by god on every human life. today i would like not only to address you, but through you, the entire people of the united states, here with the representatives, i would like to take this opportunity to dialogue with the many thousands of men and woman who strive each day to do an honest day's work,

to bring home the daily bread, to save money and [ inaudible ] 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. [ applause ] >> 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 with a storehouse of wisdom brought by experience, and who seek in my ways, especially through formal dialogue to share their stories and their incites. 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 -- with all of those young people who are working to realize their great and noble aspirations who are not lead

astray by [ inaudible ] proposals and who face difficult -- difficulties, often, often. in the majority on the part of many others. 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 woman of goodwill are marking the anniversaries of several great americans.

the complexities of history and the reality of human weakness, not withstanding these men and woman for all of their many differences and limitations were aided by [ inaudible ] and self sacrifice, some at the cost of their lives, to build a better future. they shared fundamental values, which endure forever in the spirit of the american people. a people with [ inaudible ] can live through many crises, and conflicts, while always finding the resources to move forward,

and to do so with the [ inaudible ]. a way of seeing and [ inaudible ] in reality. and finally, the memory which they aspire even amid conflicts [ inaudible ] each day to draw upon our deepest [ inaudible ]. i would like to mention four of these americans. abraham lincoln, martin luther

king, doris day, and thomas [ inaudible ]. [ applause ] >> this year marks the 150th anniversary of the assassination of president abraham lincoln, the guardian of liberty [ inaudible ] 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 state of subsidy 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, tred, and brutal atrocities committed even in the name of god and of religion. we know that no religion is immune from forms of individual dilution or idealogical extremists. this means we must be especially attentive to every type of fundamental issue, whether

religious or of any other kind. a delicate balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of religion, ideology, or an economic system, while office safe parting religious freedom, intellectual freedom, and individual freedoms. [ applause ] >> but there is a temptation, which we must especially guard against. the simplistic reactionism, which sees only good or evil, or

if you will, 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 be divided into these two camps. we know that in the attempt to defeat of enemy without, we can attempt to defeat the enemy within, to inma -- imitate the

violence and murders is the best way to take their place. that is something we do as people reject. [ applause ] >> our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and justice. we are asked to assume the courage and intelligence. don't resolve today's many geopolitical and economic crises even in the developing world, the effects of unjust structures

and [ inaudible ] are [ inaudible ]. our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and, thus, promoting the well-being of individuals, of most peoples, we must move forward together as one, in a renewed spirit of eternity and solidarity, cooperating generosity for the common good. [ applause ] >> 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 stayses. the complexity and urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resource and talents, and resolve to support one another with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience. [ applause ] >> in this land, that values religious denominations have greatly contributed to building

and strengthening society. it is important that today as in the past, the voice of faith continues to be heard, for it is the voice of 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 great injustices, which can be overcome only through new policies, and new forms of social consensus.

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 interest in order to share in justice and peace, it's goods, it's interests, its social life. i don't not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but i encourage you in this effort. [ applause ]

>> here i think of the march which martin luther king lead from selma to montgomery 50 years ago as part of the campaign to fulfill his dream of full civil and political rights for african-americans. [ applause ] >> that -- that dream continues to inspire us all, and i am happy that america continues to be for many a land of dreams.

[ applause ] >> dreams which lead to action, to participation, to commitment, dreams which awaken what is deepest and truest in the life of the people. in recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue their dream of building a future of freedom.

we, the people of this continent are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us -- [ applause ] >> -- because most of us were once foreigners. [ applause ] [ cheers ] >> i say this to you as a son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descendants of immigrants. [ cheers and applause ] >> tragically, the rights of

those who were here long before us were not always respected. for those peoples and their nations that are part of american democracy, i wish to reaffirm my high esteem and appreciati appreciation. those first contacts were often turbulent and violent, but we know that it's very difficult to judge the past by the criteria of the present. [ applause ] >> nonetheless, when a stranger in our midst appears to us, we

must not [ inaudible ] of the past. [ applause ] >> we must resolve now to live as nobly as -- 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 all of us, projecting a mind set of hostility in order to adopt one

of reciprocal solidarity in a constant effort to do our best. i'm 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 decisi decisions. on this continent too thousands of persons have left to travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their loved ones, in search of greater opportunity.

it is not what we want for our own children. [ applause ] >> we -- we must not be taken aback by the numbers, but rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening -- [ applause ] >> -- to their stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation, to respond in a way, which is always human, just, and determined. we need to avoid a common temptation to discard whatever

[ inaudible ]. let us remember the golden rule, do unto others, as you -- [ cheers and applause ] >> do unto others and you will have them do unto you. 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 ourselves. in a world, if we want security, let us give security. [ applause ] >> if we want life, let us give life. if we want opportunity, let us provide opportunities. the yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time uses for us. [ applause ]

>> the golden rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development. [ cheers and applause ] >> this conviction has -- has lead me from the beginning of my ministry to advocate on

different levels the global [ inaudible ]. [ cheers and applause ] >> i -- i am convinced that this way is the best since every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with ability, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convict of crimes. presently, my brother bishops here in the united states, renewed the call for the abolition of the death penalty. [ applause ] >> not only do i support them, but i also offer encouragement

to all of those who are convinced that a just and [ inaudible ] society punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation. [ applause ] >> in these times, when social concerns are so important, i can fail to mention the servant of dorothy day, who founded the catholic walker movement. her social activism, her passion for justice, and for the calls of the oppressed were inspired

by the gospel, her faith, and the examples 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 this first years of the turn of the millennium, to raise people out of extreme poverty. i know that you share my conviction, and that much more still needs to be done, and 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 of 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 [ inaudible ]. i know that many americans today have been 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. [ applause ] >> business is a noble vocation, directed at producing world's wealth and [ inaudible ]. it can be fruitful source of prosperity from 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. [ applause ] >> this common good also includes the air, a central theme of the encyclical, which i recently wrote in order to enter into dialogue with all people about our common goal. we need a conversation, which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we will undergoing and its human roots, concern, and effect calls for.

[ applause ] >> i call for a courageous and responsible effort to redirect our steps and to direct the most safe effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. i'm convinced that we can make a difference. i'm sure. [ applause ]

>> and i have no doubt that the united states and this congress have an important role to play. now is the time for courageous action and strategies. implementing a culture of care and an integrated approach to combatting poverty, restoring dignity, and at the same time, protecting nature. [ applause ] >> we have the freedom needed to limit and direct technology to

devise intelligent ways of development and limiting our power, and to put technology at the service of another type of problem, one which is here, more human, more social, more integral. in this regard, i am confident that america's outstanding academic and research institutions can make a vital contribution in the years ahead. [ applause ] >> a century ago, at the beginning of the great war,

which pope benadict 15 appointed, thomas martin was born. he remains a source of spiritual inspiration and guide for many people. in his autobiography, martin wrote, i came into the world free by nature in the image of god. i was nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence, of my own selfishness, in the image of the world in which i was born.

that world was a picture of hell, full of men like myself, [ inaudible ]ing and yet hating him, born to love him, living instead of fear of hopeless self contradictory [ inaudible ]. martin was born a man of prayer, a thinker, who challenged the attitudes of this 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 interrupt for the most

legitimate of reasons, new opportunities open up for all. [ applause ] >> [ inaudible ] that require and requires [ inaudible ] which is not the same as irresponsibility. a good political leader is one who -- with the interest of all in mind ceases the moment in a state of openness, and pragmatism, a good political leader always opts to initiate processes, rather than

possessing space. [ applause ] >> being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly determined to minimize in the long term to end the many armed conflicts throughout our world. [ applause ] >> here we have to ask ourselves why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals in 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 the shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade. [ applause ] >> three sons and one daughter

of this land, four individuals, of four dreams, lincoln, liberty. martin luther king, liberty and puralty and honest [ inaudible ]. dorothy daye, social justice and the rise of persons. and thomas martin, the capacity for dialogue and openness to god. four representatives of american people. i will end my visit to your country in philadelphia -- [ applause ] >> -- where i will take part in the world meeting of families. it is my wish that to have a

visit, the families should be a reoccurring theme. how essential the family has been to the building of this country. [ applause ] >> and how worthy remains for 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 relations have been 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. [ applause ] >> 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 of us seem disoriented and aimless, trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse, and despair. their problems are our problems. [ applause ] >> 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 [ inaudible ]. and the risk of oversimplifying, we might say, that we live in a culture with precious young

people, [ inaudible ] to start a family, because they lack possibilities for the future. yet the same culture presents others with so many options, that they too are dissuaded from starting a family. [ applause ] >> a nation can be considered great when it depends liberty as lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to dream of full rights for all brothers and sisters as martin luther king sought to do, when it's strive for justice and the

cause of the oppressed at dorothy daye did by her tireless walk, the fruit of her faith, which becomes dialogue and sews peace in the contemplatetive style of thomas martin. in this remark, i have sought to present some of the richness of your culture heritage, of the spirit of the american people. it is my desire to this faith continues to develop and grow, so that as many young people as possible can inherit wealth in a land which has inspired so many

people to dream. [ applause ] >> god bless america. [ cheers and applause ] >> as pope francis exits the

house chamber, a final standing ovation, of which there were many. this was a sweeping speech by the pontiff. his first address to the united states congress, and he took on cultural, social, and political flash points. issues of immigration, the death penalty, climate change. i want to go to our mike viqueira who is in the chamber for this. some 50-odd minute speech, mike. tell us what you saw that we couldn't see from our vantage point. >> i don't know where to begin to summarize that speech. it was one of the more remarkable events i have seen in covering washington for 25 years. the way in which he expressed himself, the putting aside of partisanship, a few glimpses of it here and will, but just really remarkable. and you mentioned some of the

hot button issues. he talked a lot about climate change, and immigration. talked about in a more or less oblique way threats to the family, an obvious reference to gay marriage. he talked about the need to preserve the sanctity of life, and the death penalty, one of the members of congress on the democratic side, leapt to her feet, remembered she wasn't supposed to do that, and quickly sat down. and two people from the left of the political spectrum, his call for an end to polarization, to say -- and to paraphrase if you have hatred and violence, be careful of the things you are

condemning, because you become those things yourself. it took a pope to come here and have a sharply divided chamber as the world is aware, to have them put that aside. there is no other figure in the world that could come in here and say the things he said to these members. >> mike, what else did you see as far as reaction from members of congress? i know one notable moment was when he was talking about immigration, and he says i say to you this, as the son of immigrants, knowing that so many of you are also descendants of immigrants. and the camera cut to marco rubio, wiping aware a tear. what can you tell us about the reaction you saw around you? >> a huge reaction in that part. and no question on where the pope comes down on terms of

hispanic immigration into the united states. democrats were the first to jump to their feet and applaud those comments, but even republicans did at some point, and the pope making no bones about the fact that he believes that immigrants, hispanic rights, those who come here from central and latin america should be vel comed. he talked about the stringers among us, and the need to welcome them. and virtually everyone in this chamber has an immigrant past. that was received well on both sides of the aisle. just a remarkable moment. >> when we talked earlier, it is sort of the ground rules here -- and here is that moment i was talking about can marco rubio, rubio, of course, the son of cuban immigrants. we talked about applause was not necessarily part of what the leadership wanted to see, and yet this struck me very much as

a state of the union-type speech. he had several standing ovations. i think patrick said there were 37 -- >> 38. >> i lost track, yeah. >> but he had something sort of for everyone. and at many points you saw -- what looked like the entire crowd stand up and applaud. >> you are absolutely right. i just want to partways with you a little bit on the state of the union comparisons, obviously there are similarities. there were moments when members leapt to their feet. but, again, the level of partisanship, the state of the union is theater. the state of the union is, oh, here's the democrat sitting on his hands and here is the republican leaping to her feet on their pet issues, their idealogical causes. you didn't see that here. you saw a pope -- i don't want

to say lecturing, but speaking, and i think most took it from the heart. thomas martin is a 20th century figure who is known to reaching out to other faiths, i think there's an obvious context there in negotiations with cuba. dorothy daye worked for the catholic worker publication in this country. martin luther king -- we're going through some formalities in the house here. >> the things, the themes, the people that he held up, and the way he structured his speech, you can look at it through that prism, but i don't think that's what the pope intended. >> mike hold on. i want to go to libby casey now. libby can you speak to what you are looking at now. >>s the state gets to put two statutes. and we just saw him pause in

front of the statute from california. he became yesterday the first hispanic american catholic saint. he is not the only religious statute represented on the capitol grounds, there are others, but this was certainly significant, and you can now see speaker boehner with the pope and with other members ash him. the speaker just patting the pope on the back, but this is a significant symbolic moment. and the pope brought his trip to washington full circle in today's speech, because as he talked about immigration, stephanie, we talked about the first people who were here in america, and how there were -- you know, their rights were not always protected. let's not make that same mistake again, as we welcome immigrants and foreigners into the nation, stephanie. >> libby what we're k looking at now is a live vantage point of the west balcony, and you can

see the crowd has grown so much larger in the last hour. we're expecting pope francis to emerge into this shot that we have here, and to wave to this crowd of tens of thousands of people that have gathered on the national mall before us. so that is what we are waiting for now. libby as you stand there in the rotunda there, what is the atmosphere like? >> stephanie so much enthusiasm as we are seeing members of congress react, and, you know, i think we just summed it up so well between patrick and mike there in the chamber, that even though there was a lot of applause, and it was during moments of political call to action, it didn't have that same fighting spirit or you win one, i win one point. you didn't have that atmosphere here today, and you still don't. just a lot of joy and enthusiasm, which is a little bit of different tone.

heads of state often come and address members of congress from all over the world, and they are met with a lot of respect and a warm welcome, but this is certainly a significant first, stephanie. >> libby as you listen to this speech, what occurred to you? it -- there seems to be an awareness, of course, of who his audience was, but also there was sort of a global vision laid out by this pope in this speech as though he were not just speaking to the u.s. congress. >> and the pope saying himself that he was speaking to members, but through them was also hoping to address the american people, and he touched on global issues that don't just impact the united states. addressing the migrant crisis, and encouraging people not to see these people in distress as numbers, but to look at themmed a individuals, and he got a huge line of applause when he said remember the golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. and he hit on other broader

topics, giving the united states, giving members of congress some kudos off of the bat. talking about the united states being the home of the free and land of the brave, but then talking about how it's a important that the less fortunate are looked after it. and there's not just business for business sake. but business is engaged in to create jobs and make money, and help the people around you, stephanie. >> again, we are looking at this live picture of the west balcony on the capitol building. we're expecting pope francis to come out and greet this enormous crowd. among them, del walters, who has been among the masses there, looking at the jumbotron. del tell us about reaction where you are. >> stephanie, i have to tell you that i'm stunned, i'm speechless, which is something

odd for me. in my years of covering politics in this town, i did not see, and have never seen anything like i saw moments ago. which was thousands of people saying nothing. it was almost like you were in church. and yes, a sermon was being delivered even though it was an address before congress. nobody moved. nobody walked. nobody said anything. there was a spirit of reverence. you heard the applause on capitol hill, but there was not applause outside. they seemed to be walking away as though they had been talked to by somebody who loves them. think about i, we have been watching this political process, where it seems like the lowest common denominator is that which gathers the biggest headlines, but as we watched the pope address members of congress. and here is the pope -- he's

coming out right now. we're going to wait to see if we hear that thunderous applause when he walks out. there is a catholic from maryland. you see the vice president, and the cardinals are coming out as well. >> we -- you are seeing a slightly different vantage point than we are. and there he is. >> i apologize for that four-second delay. sorry about that, stephanie. [ cheers and applause ]

>> i want to bring in patrick hornbeck. there is a microphone there. do we expect him to say some words there, patrick? >> this calls to mine when he was first elected pope. he came out and his first words in italian were just good evening. >> he's about to say something. the timing of these things are always a bit tricky. >> he may be calling for his

translator. >> buenas dias. >> translator: i'm so grateful for your pretense here. [ cheers and applause ] >> translator: the most important ones here, children. [ cheers and applause ] >> translator: i'll ask god to bless them. lord, father of all, bless

these, bless each of them, bless the families. bless them all. and i ask you all, please to pray for me. and if there are among you, any who do not believe or cannot pray, i ask you please to send good wishes my way. [ cheers and applause ]

>> thank you. thank you very much. and god bless america. [ cheers and applause ] >> and there in the stand, patrick hornbeck, you saw the man who addressed the joint meeting of congress, touched on a lot of hot button issues, but this is a master. >> that's right. people like to think of pope francis as an innovator, but every topic has been talked about over the past century and a half. the difference is this pope has figured out how to touch the hearts and minds of people all around the world. and even just now in his brief remarks in spanish with his translator behind him in

english, he asks people again to pray for him, just as he did on the night of his election. and he adds on to that, if anyone doesn't believe or can't pray, please send me good wishes. a remarkable acknowledgment that while everyone may not be in the same religious space he is everyone may be able to come together for the calls for justice of the common good today. >> i want to go to del walters. del, what was reaction like around you? >> you are hearing the singing that has resumed once again because of the climate day rally. when the pope spoke. there were people who were walking away, they stopped and turned and listened to every word especially that part when he said god bless america.

and then there was the applause that you saw. father curry has been with throughout the afternoon. he chastised congress in a papal way, urged them to work for the people. >> yeah, he has so much credibility, he can do that with congress. and i think the other thing that is really striking, normally in washington after a performance like that, there would be a big lunch somewhere. he is going over to a simple lunch with the homeless just a few blocks away from the capitol, so the credibility of this man, and the getting his message across. >> i said i have never seen this city pause and be quiet for so

long. have you seen anything like this either? >> the closest thing was president obama's first inauguration. that for a very brief time you whole culture of the city had turned around. tragically it didn't last very long. but it really did make a difference. but nothing like today. >> so stephanie, one by one they came this morning, one by one they are now filing out. the question is, how much of what the pope today inside that hall will sink in tonight when they sit around their dinner table with their various forms of families, and how much will members of congress take back home with them? and will it change the dialogue in this nation, which some say has been worse now than ever before. stephanie? >> yes, del, that is the question, i suppose.

let's go back to libby casey who is live at the capitol, and let's delve into some of what was said during the pope's address to congress. >> as patrick mentioned earlier, the pope really stuck to some basic tenants of the catholic faith and catholic priorities, ending with a conversation about the family, and hitting there that he believeings marriage is threatened. even if the pope didn't delve into specifics, just mentioning that certainly carries weight. he also -- when he talked about defending life did the very catholic thing of taking it full circle, saying he is against the death penalty but also implying that he is against abortion. the world abortion was never used, but it was certainly implied in that. and as the pope came out to the balcony, he talked about the children that were there, and you certainly heard a lot of

appeals to the young, to the old, to those who are less able among the united nations population. and among those, of course, immigrants. so stephanie, let's take a listen to what he pope had to say about immigration. >> do not be fearful of foreigners, because most of us -- [ applause ] >> -- because most of us were once foreigners. [ applause ] [ cheers ] >> so a nation of immigrants, stephanie, not fearful of foreigners because so many, including the pope himself were once those people, and he also addressed another topic. we were certainly expecting him to touch on, climate change. and he, once again takes climate change not just as an

environment or ecological issue, but a humanitarian issue. lumping it in with fighting poverty and restoring dignity and protecting nature. take a listen. >> i'm 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. >> and the pope also pointing out that u.s. academic and research institutions can make vital contributions. so he is praising the engenuity of the united states even as he's issuing a call to action, stephanie. >> here is the pope now. this is his motorcade awaiting him in front of the capitol here. from here he will be going to st. patrick church, and he will

also there be not only doing some blessings, but patrick hornbeck he has chosen to not eat lunch with these power brokers of washington, but to meet with the homeless. >> that's right. he is going to bless a meal for about 200 homeless people, stephanie. this is a tradition he has been keeping up with out there his papalsy. here we see him saying good-bye to the leaders of our country. >> i want to get back to mike viqueira. mike, talk to me about what you felt were the highlights of his speech. >> as we see the pope approaching his vehicle there, look at those leaders, republicans and democrats alike, and you listen to the message that the pope delivered here, on part -- the need for bipartisanship, on the need to get things done for the greatest cause of humanity, and there is

a big test coming up in just a couple of days now, september 30th, the government could shut down. if there is an ultimate symbol of acrimony in washington, it's a government shutdown. and there's a real threat of that. and these members who reverentially listened to this pope in this chamber, whether any of that sunk in, we'll find out quickly, stephny is. >> we will say he is now in his vehicle and on his way to the chapel of catholic charities. we'll be blessing that chapel before he attends the lunch. >> we have gotten used to these images of huge crowds awaiting him. and that is the crowd awaiting him now. which is so integral that the

pope talks about in feeding the poor and ministering to the poor. so there is his fiat which he has been driving around in, and the motorcade passing through. patrick hornbeck, ultimately when you look at this pope, did he at least for a moment today -- during that 50 minutes, unite a congress that has been so deeply divided? year in and year out, we talk about government shutdowns this year. >> i think mike is right, the proof is in the pudding, that a week or two weeks from now, we'll see what the consequences of this speech are. but the thing that kept coming back to me was his emphasis on the common good. this pope believes that goods should not be kept private, and

shared, the blessings of god and the world should be shared with people. and that affects his approach to immigration, to the environment, it's fundamentally grounded in his notion that every human being has dignity. and that's why as libby was just saying we heard him speak about life from conception to death, he very specifically condemned the death penalty. that's something that the congress may take in some way shape or form -- >> look at him waving, by the way, as we continue to talk about these issues. look at him finding every opportunity to engage with the masses that have come out to see him. but back to what you were saying, patrick, this theme of dignity beginning at inception, which was that allusion to abortion. the ark of that goes to the death penalty. let's listen to what he said in

that regard. >> the golden rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at the early stage of its development. [ applause ] >> this conviction has lead me from the beginning of my ministry to advocate on different levels the global evolution of the death penalty. >> he says global, but the united states is the only developed western country that continues to use the death penalty, both as a deterrence and otherwise as a punishment. you know, he really gets into criminal justice issues here. >> absolutely. we saw the breath of the pope's speech. in many areas he didn't make specific policy recommendations.

here he was much clearer that in his remarks on the death penalty he all but called on congress to repeal that. elsewhere we see him talking about what one catholic bishop once called the seamless garment, meaning that catholics are to protect life in the womb and at the end of life as well. the republican party supporting the death penalty, but also opposing abortion, and the opposite being true for democrats. this pope is striking out a different tone. he's demonstrating a bipartisan way by articulating catholic doctrines. >> he has specific issues that he clearly wanted to air knowing these are the people in power in this country. >> that's right. >> i want to bring in david shuster to talk more about the death penalty and where it stands in congress. i know there was a recent

supreme court ruling in the last session on the death penalty. >> right. the supreme court has upheld the death penalty, and congress essentially hasn't gotten into it very much. but it was one of those intriguing moments, where it sounded like the pope was giving something that the republicans would love. where he talked about the sanctity of life and protecting it out there its progress. and you got the sense he is talking about the unborn, and in the very next sentence was talking about the death penalty. so it was one of those speeches where it seemed like there was something for everybody. but i want to circle back to a point that mike and del were making, and that is for everybody who has covered congress for 20 years, several leaders have been talking a lot for the last 20 years about is there any way to get back to the day when congress and members treated each other through the golden rule, that they wouldn't

go on television and pander to the cameras and speak badly about somebody because they wouldn't want somebody to do that to them. or they would be honest in negotiations or be fair in allowing certain bills and legislation to come to the floor, and you have gotten a sense from leadership that that day is gone. so to hear the pope talk about d wait the pope said let us help others to grow as we would like to be helped ourselves as members of congress try to grow and grow this country, is there a way to work for the common good? nobody can speak with such authority on that issue as the pope, and -- an one of the things, stephanie that might make this more effective than people had anticipated, and that is in our political world right now. we're seeing it in the presidential races and congress, there's a desire for authenticity. that the more authentic you are,

the more trustworthy you are. and there was something disarmingly authentic about the pope with sometimes his english not being so good, and the way he delivered it that i think turned a lot of people in a way that many were not necessarily expecting. >> i think that's an optimistic view in some ways david shuster. credibility and authenticity are two things that people have been associating with this pope. and then you see a guy like donald trump is still leading the pack -- >> but that does get to the idea of authenticity, because the one thing that people say about donald trump and bernie sanders, they believe they are seeing the real thing whether you like him or hate him. and that's something that a lot of people in the political world didn't see coming this fall and summer, and something that is reverberating through the

american society, we want people to be honest about themselves, fault and all, and that is something the pope has been able to underscore. >> some have said he is the ultimate political outsider. let's go back to del walters at theal. del? >> i want to add to what you have been talking about, which is that here you have a very simple man in front of 435 of the most powerful people in the world remaining them at a time when the political process wants to stream about isolation, when it talks about wanting to build walls, and ask people to leave the country in any way, shape, or form, he sort of reminded them that the entire world is watching what the united states does, because the united states may be needed now more than ever, and there was that moment of silence on the mall when the one thing, the one phrase that everybody heard him say so plainly, so clearly, was the

golden rule, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, reminding those gathers, those that were listening right there in the chambers, that as the united states treats the rest of the world, it is possible the rest of the world may treat the united states that same way too, reminding them that it's almost impossible for this country to close its doors on the rest of the world. stephanie back to you. >> thank you, del. the pope now arriving at st. patrick church. he will be blessing a chapel there at catholic charities. let's go back to libby casey. again, really getting into some of these issues that were brought up by the pope's speech to congress. >> and stephanie, certainly not keeping it here in the united states, but also looking globally. bringing up concerns about what happens, not only here in the united states, but overseas,

when it comes to human trafficking, or global slavery, let's listen to what he had to say. >> such cooperation is a powerful resource in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of great injustices, which can be overcome only through new policies and new forms of social consensus. >> and stephanie we have seen horrific stories, of course, coming out of places like iraq and syria when it comes to isil keeping people as slaves. so this can apply to a range of places. we also gave a specific call to fight the arms trade, talking about it as money branched in

blood. and that is something that can see like a far away problem, but it is something that the united states also has a stake in, so he certainly didn't leave the business at the door. he brought it home to the united states as well, and he touched on the migrant crisis in europe. now he didn't specifically get into some sticky political areas, like the iran nuclear deal, something he supported in the weeks leading up to the final okay. he also didn't bring up the relations with cuba, something he was integral in the process of negotiating. but that was all part of the sub text of what we knew coming into this speech, the pope instead really focusing on these key issues of the catholic faith and how they come into play when it comes to policy, stephanie. >> yeah, but as you say pointing out some issues we weren't expecting, like the death penalty and arms control.

i just want to get back to these live pictures, and what you are looking at here. this is pope francis. he is at st. patrick church, and we understand here among the guests that have been invited in those pews are mental health and homeless people. >> this is a moment of enthusiasm for these people. it's a once in a lifetime experience. you saw in that first shot, hundreds of cell phone cameras, coming up and taking that picture. this is a pope who has always tried to reach out into those who are marginalized. inviting homeless men to come into the vatican to eat with him. that gives you a sense about

what kind of a man he is. a man from the margins in buenos aires saying mass in the slums, traveling on the subway himself, he really is a remarkable human being, and i think the more that i reflect on his speech today, i'm struck by how much of a latin america pope he is. in latin america liberation theology, there's a lot of talk about unjust social structures. that's a catch phrase that we saw several places in the speech. how do societies systemically disprivilege certain people, and privilege other people, and he has been trying to turn the tables to give his attention to those who are often down interested toen. >> how often has he condemned totalitarian regimes in latin america who have disadvantaged

the most vulnerable. >> when he was the author of a key document which came out a few years ago, he acknowledged that the church in latin america had been complicit in some of these things. when he was a much younger man in argentina, he was in a very difficult place when it came to the regime of the time. he is someone who has lived through that history, and learned from that history, but he is preaching and speaking with a clarity on those sorts of issues that we have not heard from previous popes. >> what we're seeing now is the pope blessing the chapel at catholic charities. catholic charities does a heck of a lot of good to hundreds of thousands of people. >> that's exactly right. the catholic church all over the world is involved in charitable work. here in the u.s., the catholic

church has been questioned. like they run adoption services. so there has been an ongoing debate between the progresses and the more traditional members of the church, which is how does the catholic church keep its identity and yet continue to reach out to those who are marginalized, and it's a tricky needle to threat. >> as the pope continues his activities here at st. patrick church, i want to bring in somebody who was in the house chamber during the pope's address, representative tim ryan from washington, a representative from ohio, i believe. thank you so much for being with us. talk about how you experienced the pope's address. >> just an amazing couple of days. i mean the simplicity, the

humility in which he speaks, i think cuts through a lot of the tone that we have been experiencing throughout the presidential election, throughout congress for the last -- how many years. so to me as powerful as his words are, i think his presence, the way he acts, and behaves and presents himself with that message with that humility and awareness of what is going on around him, to me is what is powerful about the man. >> i know you represent a district in which there is an income gap, that issue particularly speak to you when he referenced income inequality in this country? >> no question, and the challenge that he presented to all of us that we can do better. we can fix this problem if we come together, he used the world cooperation so many times -- >> representative ryan, if

you'll just hold on, pardon me for just a second, pope francis is speaking. i just want to hear what he says, and then we'll get back to you. i apologize. >> translator: the first word i wish to say to you is thank you. thank you for welcoming me, and for your efforts to make this meeting possible. here i think of a person whom i love, someone who is and has been very important throughout my life. he has been a support and an

inspiration. he is the one i go to whenever i'm in a bind. you make me think of st. joseph. your faces remind me of his. he had to face some difficult situations in his life. one of them was the time when mary was about to give birth to have jesus. the bible tells us that while they were there, the time came

for her to deliver her child, and she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. the bible is very clear about this. there was no room for them. i can imagine joseph with his wife about to have a child with no shelter, no home, no place to stay.

the son of god came into this world as a homeless person. the son of god knew what it was to be a homeless person. what it was to start life without a roof over his head. we can imagine what joseph must have been thinking. how is it that the son of god has no home? why are we homeless? why don't we have housing?

these are questions which many of you may ask daily. like st. joseph, you may ask, why are we homeless without a place to live? these are questions which all of us might well ask. why do these, our brothers and sisters have no place to live? why are these brothers and sisters of ours homeless?

joseph's questions are timely even today. they accompany all of those who throughout history have been and are homeless. joseph was someone who asked questions. but first and foremost he was a man of faith. faith gave joseph the power to find light, just at the moment when everything seemed dark.

faith sustained him amid the troubles of life. thanks to faith, joseph was able to press forward when everything seemed to be holding him back. in the face of unjust and faithful situations, faith brings us the light that scatters the darkness. as it did for joseph, faith makes us open to the quiet presence of god at every moment of our lives in every person, and in every situation.

god is present in every one of you, in each one of us. i want to be very clear, we can find no social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing. there are many unjust situations, but we know that god is suffering with us.

experiencing them at our side. he does not abandon us. we know that jesus wanted to show solidarity with every person. he wanted everyone to experience his companionship, his help, and his love. he identified with all of those who suffer, who weep, who suffer any kind of injustice.

he tells us this clearly, i was hungry, and you gave me food. i was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. i was a stranger, and you welcomed me. faith makes us know that god is at our side; that god is in our midst, and his presence spurs us to charity. charity is born of the call of a

god who continues to knock on our door, the door of all people, to invite us to love, to compassion, to service of one another. jesus keeps knocking on our doors, the doors of our lives. he doesn't do this by magic with special effects, with flashing lights and fireworks. jesus keeps knocking on our door

in the faces of our brothers and sisters, in the faces of our neighbors, in the faces of those at our side. dear friends, one of the most effective ways we have to help us is that of prayer. prayer unites us, it makes us brothers and sisters. it opens our hearts, and reminds us of a beautiful truth, which we sometimes forget. in prayer, we all learn to say

father, dad. and when we say father or dad, we learn to see one another as brothers and sisters. in prayer there are no rich and poor people. there are sons and daughters. in prayer there is no first of second class. there is brotherhood. it is in prayer that our hearts find the strength not to be

called insensitive in the face of injustice. in prayer, god keeps calling us, opening our hearts to charity. how good it is for us to pray together. how good it is to encounter one another in this place, where we see one another as brothers and sisters, where we realize we need one another. today i want to be one with you.

i need your support, your closeness. i would like to invite you to pray together for one another. with one another. that way we can keep helping one another to experience the joy of knowing that jesus is in our midst. and may jesus help us to solve the many injustices that he knew

first. that of not having a home. are you ready to pray with me? i have started in spanish, and you continue in english. our father who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name . . . [ group praying together ]

>> translator: before leaving you, i would like to give you god's blessing. the lord bless you and keep you. the lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. the lord lift upon you, and give you peace. and please don't forget to pray for me. thank you. [ cheers and applause ] >> remarks from the pope at st. patrick's church, the catholic charities there.

addressing the homeless and comforting them. he will have lunch with them shortly. i want to bring back tim ryan from ohio, who was inside the house chamber when the pope addressed a joint meeting of congress. representative thank you so much for waiting. i think you are having a hard representative ryan?o we have okay. we briefly lost communications with representative ryan, so we'll go back to him. a bit of a technical snafu. going back to these live pictures of pope francis, giving a big wave to the audience there. he has blessed a chapel there, and he is on his way to lunch with hundreds of people that have been invited for that lunch. patrick hornbeck, head of the theology department at fordham university has been joining us all morning.

these remarks were very different from what he addressed think congress. >> very different. he was talking with the folks and the clients of catholic charities about an issue that is very close to their hearts, the issue of homelessness. he said when jesus was born he came into the world as a homeless person. he talked about st. joseph who took care of mary and the infant jesus. this was a spiritual address. and you pointed out the pope didn't even use the name jesus when he was speaking to congress at all. so he's showing his range today, that he can be a pastor who uses the power of imagination. asking his audience to think what it was like for st. joseph and for jesus to come into the world as a homeless person. and not more than 30 minutes before going to congress and speaking about the biggest issues of the day.

>> we do have representative tim ryan back on line now. thank you so much for your patience. as you know when the pope has been speaking lately, we all listen, because you never know what he is going to say. he picked up on the same theme you and i were talking about which is inequality, speaking directly to the homeless. continue on with your thoughts on what resinated to you in that vane what we spoke to congress. >> inspiring us to do something. encouraging us, saying that we can do this, we can come together, we can solve this problem. it's not unsolvable. and to me sometimes you need to hear that from the outside, from someone with the moral authority. season with his humility and the way he is present. for him to say, we can do this,

let's do it together. and innovate and make it happen and use technology to make it happen. i mean a very -- a man of his time in so many ways. >> you said it representative. he talked a lot about cooperation. and i just want to quote one thing he said. this is one of the more powerful remarks. 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, and i'll recall he looked up at you lawmakers just as he said those words. do you think this is a moment that will lead to new policies? >> i hope. i -- i hope. i hope this is a transformational moment for us. the last couple of days have been very powerful and enlightening in so many ways, and i hope there is a new spirit cooperation that can be

exhibited here in the united states capitol. i'm personally ready to try to let bygones be bygones, and let the old attitudes and beliefs go, and start with a new hope. >> did he speak to you from a spiritual perspective or from a policy perspective? >> to me it was very spiritual. i think there were these nuggets of policy concerns and approaches, maybe that we need to take, but to me this was largely about inner transformation. yesterday at the mass, he had a great line of living your life away. you know, give your life away, and something that is bigger than you, give your life away in service. to me that's an interior challenge for the individuals who were listening to the pope. the same today, i mean he was

really asking us to examine our own beliefs and habits. he talked about the habits that we can get into. and he presents this in such a clear way that i think it goes right throw your mind and into your heart. and for me this was very much a spiritual trip. i went to catholic school in ohio, and, you know, my family and i we go to the blessed church, and we're still continuing to practice the faith. but in my 42 years of being a catholic, i have never been more inspired, i have never had a religious figure inspire me so directly as the pope did. so to me it's very much about the spirit as much as the policies. >> can you recall a time in a house chamber when a religious figure, or anyone for that

matter, addressed a joint meeting of congress and had this sort of emotional impact? >> not that i have experienced. and it was. i mean this -- like i said, the last two days have been emotional. if you looked at the mass yesterday, there were people around in tears. i mean it was the most incredible thing to experience, and it was the same today. it's almost hard to believe to look up there -- and we have been in there so many times with john boehner or nancy pelosi sitting in the one year, and vice president cheney or biden sitting in those top two chairs, but never before have we seen the spiritual recommendations and enlightenments coming from the podium just below, and to me, to hear him as i said before, speak so humbly and clearly and simply about these deep, deep values that we have

in -- as he said as americans and as human beings, i think transforms this normal kind of course political tone that we have been experiencing the last few years in this town. >> representative tim ryan we so appreciate your time and patience and incites. thank you. have a great day. >> thanks for having me. >> i want to head back out to the national mall where my colleague del walters has been all morning with the people. del? >> well, stephanie as you have been talking and as i have been watching the people -- by the way washington is now back to normal, the people are leaving. the climate rally is going on, but the ranks are thin. but we were talking about how the political situation in washington is nothing new. and i want to take you back to