What is Pope Francis going to talk about?
We don’t know for sure, but this pope is focused on a few key issues: the environment, poverty and taking care of those who live on the margins of society. He may talk about America’s unique role and responsibility as a superpower and will probably use the word “encounter” to describe the importance of diplomacy and dialogue, especially with regard to Cuba and Iran. It is unlikely that he will use the speech to condemn abortion or gay marriage – two hot-button issues – though he could make references to both. Immigration is sure to be a big theme, and the many other possibilities include the drug war and the migrant crisis in Europe. He will not want to alienate Republicans in the audience, but nor will he bypass the critical topic of global warming in front of such an influential crowd.
Will there be lots of cheering?
Americans are used to the State of the Union address, when members stand and applaud every time the president makes a point they agree with while the opposition sits on their hands and growls. Lawmakers would probably have been instructed not to clap or interrupt the pope’s speech, though Democrats might be tempted if he talks about global warming, just as Republicans will want to if he talks about the “traditional” family. There is very little precedent to guide them, or us. This will be the first time a pope has addressed Congress.
Are there a lot of Catholics in Congress?
Yes. About 31% of members identify themselves as Roman Catholic, compared with 22% in the US population. The supreme court is dominated by Catholics. Six of the nine justices are Catholic, and of those just one (Sonia Sotomayor) is considered a reliable vote for the “left”. That said, it was another Catholic, Anthony Kennedy, who provided the critical swing vote that legalised gay marriage in 50 states.
Will John Boehner cry?
Probably. The House speaker has been trying to get a pope to address Congress since he was a second-term congressman, to no avail. The arrival of Pope Francis is a personal dream come true for the Catholic lawmaker from Ohio and he tends to get very emotional. In an article published on Medium on Wednesday, Boehner shed some light on his motivation, saying: “The Pope transcends all of this. He appeals to our better angels and brings us back to our daily obligations. The best thing we can all do is listen, open our hearts to his message and reflect on his example.”
Do Catholic Republicans agree with everything Pope Francis says?
No. There has long been a perception that the Catholic church in the US is a very conservative institution and therefore aligned with Republicans. But most Republican officials oppose Francis’s position on global warming. Most also oppose the church’s position on the death penalty, benefits for the poor, immigration, and diplomatic efforts with Cuba and Iran.
What about Democrats?
There are a lot of prominent Catholic Democrats in Washington, including House minority leader Nancy Pelosi, Vice-President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry. Their biggest differences with the church center on social issues, namely abortion rights and gay marriage. Most Democrats also support government funding of contraception and stem cell research (the church opposes both).
How is the pope’s English?
It has evidently gotten a lot better, though it still appears to be something of a struggle for the pontiff. This is one of only four of his 18 speeches in English during the US tour. Although he has been practising, it’s clear that the pope, who likes to talk off-the-cuff, feels constrained linguistically when he speaks English.
Has Francis ever done anything like this before?
Yes, and he did not hold back. When he was in Strasbourg last year he addressed more than 700 members of the European parliament and told them that the continent was a bit like an infertile “grandmother”. It was a pointed critique – suggesting that Europe was full of bureaucratic pen-pushers who mistreated migrants and neglected its young people. If Europe is a grandmother, what might the US be? In Francis’s mind, perhaps a rich and self-centred teenager, capable of good but in need of some direction?
