In his first ever visit to the United States of America, Pope Francis repeatedly emphasized the need to care for our common home. The Holy Father was welcomed at the White House, to the United Nations, and made history by speaking to the US Congress.
In each address, Pope Francis brings to life the vibrant message of Laudato Si, his encyclical on the environment. He directly calls “for a courageous and responsible effort to ‘redirect our steps’ (ibid., 61), and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity” We are grateful for the Pope’s reminder that “now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a ‘culture of care’ (ibid., 231) and ‘an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature'” (ibid., 139).
You can read the full text of each of the Pope’s talks here:
Pope Francis Speaks at the White House
Pope Francis’ Address to Congress
Pope Francis Speech at the United Nations