Pope Francis’ Uplift in a Secular Democracy

Few events can bring together Paul Ryan and Sister Simone Campbell at 6 in the morning. The pope’s anticipated address at the White House on Wednesday was such an occasion. Doors opened at 5:30 a.m. and Francis brought together men and women of disparate beliefs and ideologies to see the sunrise on the South Lawn. The spiritual leader commands overwhelming authority and humility; his message has uplifted a secular democracy. The White House welcomed the head of the largest Christian denomination in the United States with flags of the Holy See. Filled with warmed hearts, thousands juggled their cellphones in a congenial and smooth ambiance. Amid a crowd of 15,000, the first sign of the pope’s arrival was, for many, the hundreds who ran to the right corner route to greet the little black Fiat 500L. Even for the devotees without a good view, hearing the pope’s message justified the long hours of wait.   

“That’s one of the reasons I went to the bathroom – to sit down,” explained one woman as she giggled and made her way back into the crowd. It was now 9 a.m. and she had been standing for four hours waiting for what she called “an opportunity of a lifetime.” The ceremony followed historical precepts dating back to the early days of the republic. The National Anthem of the Holy See came first and all participants stood at attention. The National Anthem of the United States followed, accompanied by ethereal humming.

Setting aside his role as a political figure, Francis introduced himself as “the son of an immigrant family … happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families.” The Vatican’s goodwill ambassador, who visited Cuba prior to his arrival to the United States, posed a series of challenges for Americans, touching on immigration, social responsibility, poverty, and the environment.

All corners of the crowd looked to his words. His halting English did not stop the pope from connecting with the audience; bridging the language barrier, his remarks drew spontaneous nods and amens. Pope Francis spoke directly to the many faces of American Catholicism and demonstrated mastery of the country’s immigrant and Hispanic heritage – the church’s future in the United States.

In his short speech, he backed immigration reform at a time of controversy over deportation and border security questions. The pope called for a more welcoming immigration policy one day prior to becoming the first bishop of Rome to preach Congress. To the delight of the crowd, Francis also focused on what the future holds for the earth, concentrating on the importance of limited carbon emissions and the conservation of our threatened natural environments. Addressing environmental justice, he alluded to Laudato Si, the landmark encyclical published in June of this year that calls for action on climate change, and supported the Obama administration’s efforts to combat air pollution.

Pope Francis also reminded us of our moral obligation to act on behalf of the most vulnerable. He denounced the prevalence of a culture blighted by consumerism and invoked Rev. Martin Luther King to stress his fight for equality. In many ways, Francis has successfully reflected the human character of his papacy and is asking us to be openhearted. This approach has allowed him to take political risks and attract a positive response, which some call the “Francis effect.”

Across the political spectrum, the pope swayed the public with his words and overcame fault lines with his message. Francis is a pope who turned down lunch invitations from politicians to visit the homeless at St Maria’s Meals. A pope who has confronted corruption and mismanagement at the Vatican. A Latin American who talked about the “gangrene of corruption” in development during a visit to Paraguay. A son of immigrants who continues to address the most controversial issues in a spirit of reconciliation. His message challenges us to re-evaluate our value system, to leave complacency aside, and to posit ourselves as doers. But most importantly, it pushes us to recognize that acting on good will and on behalf of the neglected is the ultimate measure of personal success.