Pope Francis: Action on climate change can’t wait

September 23, 2015 in News by RBN

The Detroit News | Nancy Benac & Nicole Winfield, AP

Washington — Plunging headlong into the issues of the day, Pope Francis opened his visit to the United States with a strong call Wednesday for action to combat climate change, calling it a problem that “can no longer be left to a future generation.” President Barack Obama, in turn, hailed the pontiff as a moral force who is “shaking us out of our complacency” with reminders to care for the poor and the planet.

The White House mustered all the pageantry it had to offer as the pope arrived at the White House before an adoring crowd of thousands and a nation that seemingly cannot get enough of the humble pontiff who is rejuvenating American Catholicism while giving heartburn to some of its conservatives.

Speaking in a soft voice and halting English, Francis delivered a strong message against those who doubt the science of climate change, saying that the warming planet “demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition” of conditions awaiting today’s children.

Francis said that climate change demands “serious and responsible recognition” of those living on the margins — “millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them,” he said.

“To use a telling phrase of the Rev. Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it,” Francis said to applause.

Francis in his remarks also stressed the value of inclusiveness and the need to defend religious freedoms with “vigilance.”

“Together with their fellow citizens, American Catholics are committed to building a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive, to safeguarding the rights of individuals and communities, and to rejecting every form of unjust discrimination,” he said.

Parts of his message were sure to be welcomed by many U.S. bishops and conservatives who have objected to the Obama administration’s health care mandate and the recent Supreme Court legalization of same-sex marriage.

With flags snapping, color guard at attention and a military band playing brassy marches, Francis stepped onto the South Lawn on a crisp fall morning that felt as optimistic as his own persona. The Obamas looked positively charmed when Francis’ tiny Fiat pulled up, perhaps the smallest car that has ever brought a visiting dignitary to their lawn.

Just before the pope arrived, Obama had tweeted to the Holy Father: “Welcome to the White House, @Pontifex! Your messages of love, hope, and peace have inspired us all.”

Obama, joking that his backyard is not typically so crowded, told the pope that the excitement surrounding his visit was a reflection of Francis’ unique qualities, mentioning “your humility, your embrace of simplicity, the gentleness of your words and the generosity of your spirit.”