Pope Francis Prepares for Most Political Trip Yet

Pope Francis Prepares for Most Political Trip Yet
World | Agence France-Presse | Updated: September 05, 2015 08:46 IST

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis is gearing up for potentially his most
politically charged trip yet, an eight-day whirlwind visit which will
take him from Havana's Revolution Square in Cuba to the headquarters of
the United Nations.

The Argentine, who will become the first pontiff to address a joint
meeting of Congress in Washington, has taken advantage of a summer lull
at the Vatican to fine-tune his hotly awaited speeches, sources at the
Holy See say.

For his three-day visit to Cuba, beginning on September 19, Francis can
expect a warm reception from the Castro regime following recognition of
the key role he played in Havana's reconciliation with the United States
this year.

But anticipation ahead of the US leg of the trip, which will kick off in
Washington on September 22, has already sparked conflicting reactions --
as well as a boom in Francis-themed souvenirs and trinkets.

The welcome from some American politicians is expected to be chilly. The
78-year-old's decision to visit Havana before Washington has not gone
down well, particularly as Congress has yet to lift the embargo against
Cuba.

His environmental encyclical and recent impassioned speeches in Latin
America against the free market system, blind capitalism and rabid
exploitation by multinationals of natural resources, have seen him
accused of Marxism.

Asked in July how it felt to have been termed by one American television
presenter "the most dangerous man on the planet", Francis merely replied
that "every criticism must be received, studied, and then dialogue must
ensue".

His speech to Congress will be a historic moment, and the outspoken pope
will likely make no bones about the superpower's responsibilities in
leading the way on tackling pollution and embracing renewable energy.

Abortion, Contraception, Gay Marriage

The fifth visit by a pope to the UN, dubbed the "Glass Palace", will see
the Argentine hold forth on the social and ecological themes most dear
to him, particularly ills such as the "culture of waste" and
"globalisation of indifference".

Francis is expected to urge member states to make concrete commitments
at the Paris climate change summit in December.

He is also likely to call for renewed efforts towards securing peace in
the Middle East and greater dialogue with Islam, as well as insisting on
the need to defend persecuted Christians around the world.

The fate of migrants, the plight of the poor and the scourge of human
trafficking will likely be raised, and some conservatives fear he might
weigh in on contentious political subjects, such as the Iran nuclear deal.

The pope, a champion of the oppressed, is set to meet with America's
downtrodden, from homeless people to immigrant families, and will visit
Ground Zero, the site of the September 11 attack.

Some feathers may be ruffled by his decision to canonise a Spanish
Franciscan missionary, Junipero Serra, who was involved in converting to
Christianity the native Indian population in California in the 18th century.

In Philadelphia, where he will arrive on September 26 for the closure of
the 2015 World Meeting of Families, huge crowds are expected to gather
to hear his message on marriage and the modern family.

The speech will come just one week ahead of a key Church meeting in Rome
on the hot-button topic, which has raised hopes among liberals of an
opening towards homosexuals and divorced people, but is unlikely to
result in concrete change.

The pope is supported by 87 per cent of American Catholics and 66
percent of Americans, according to a recent survey. But he is decidedly
out of favour with some US bishops, amid complaints he has not given
them enough support against the Obama administration over abortion,
contraception and gay marriage.

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