Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) today released the following statement ahead of Pope Francis' address to a joint session of Congress:
"The upcoming papal visit to Congress is a historic occasion that deserves serious bipartisan political reflection. It is also a cause for celebration, especially for the many marginalized members of American society. They rightly recognize in the Pope a champion for the weak, the vulnerable, and the hopeless.
"As the spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics, and as one of the most respected moral leaders on the planet, Pope Francis has spent his papacy challenging all persons to live out a consistent, sustainable, and inspirational vision of what his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, called a "human ecology,' where no one is disregarded and the material world is properly protected.
"In his recent papal encyclical, Laudato Si, the Pope offers a poetic expression addressing the crises of the present day. Laudato Si, written to all members of the global community, promotes universal human values: the sanctity of all life, with special consideration for the poor, the elderly, and the unborn; the importance of society and the primacy of the family; the dignity of work; the responsibility of people to properly steward their natural resources, all gifts from the Creator who authored life itself; and the interlocking and inseparable principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, which people live out together in local communities to promote the good that is common to us all.
"The Pope rightly condemns our "throwaway culture,' whether wanton pollution, avaricious materialism, or disregard or outright violent hostility toward the poor, the elderly, and the unborn. He rightly highlights how physical and social environments are inextricably intertwined. While he speaks in seamless principals, not policy specifics, the Pope's words provide a holistic message that does not fit political class distinctions.
"Against anti-human ideologies, Pope Francis presents a deeply profound account--ever ancient, ever new--of how human persons, living together, can flourish in our common home.
"Finally, it is important to remember one more issue of special concern to the Pope. In July, he decried the genocide of Christians in the Middle East and the scandalous silence. I share the Holy Father's cry against the international indifference and have introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives calling the slaughter of our Christian brethren and other minorities genocide. Christians in the Middle East, and elsewhere, need special protection and our full solidarity. This resolution is an attempt to elevate the world's consciousness about their plight, providing a gateway for further policy considerations.
"Hopefully Congress can consider this measure in proximity to the papal visit."