Mr. Vice-President,
Mr. Speaker,
Honorable Members of Congress,
Dear Friends,
I am most grateful for your invitation to address this Joint Session
of Congress in "the land of the free and the home of the brave". I would
like to think that the reason for this is that I too am a son of this
great continent, from which we have all received so much and toward
which we share a common responsibility.
Each son or daughter of a given country has a mission, a personal and
social responsibility. Your own responsibility as members of Congress
is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a
nation. You are the face of its people, their representatives. You are
called to defend and preserve the dignity of your fellow citizens in the
tireless and demanding pursuit of the common good, for this is the
chief aim of all politics.
A political society endures when it seeks, as
a vocation, to satisfy common needs by stimulating the growth of all
its members, especially those in situations of greater vulnerability or
risk. Legislative activity is always based on care for the people. To
this you have been invited, called and convened by those who elected
you.
Yours is a work which makes me reflect in two ways on the figure of
Moses. On the one hand, the patriarch and lawgiver of the people of
Israel symbolizes the need of peoples to keep alive their sense of unity
by means of just legislation. On the other, the figure of Moses leads
us directly to God and thus to the transcendent dignity of the human
being. Moses provides us with a good synthesis of your work: you are
asked to protect, by means of the law, the image and likeness fashioned
by God on every human face.
Today I would like not only to address you, but through you the
entire people of the United States. Here, together with their
representatives, I would like to take this opportunity to dialogue with
the many thousands of men and women who strive each day to do an honest
day’s work, to bring home their daily bread, to save money and –one step
at a time – to build a better life for their families. These are men
and women who are not concerned simply with paying their taxes, but in
their own quiet way sustain the life of society.
They generate
solidarity by their actions, and they create organizations which offer a
helping hand to those most in need.
I would also like to enter into dialogue with the many elderly
persons who are a storehouse of wisdom forged by experience, and who
seek in many ways, especially through volunteer work, to share their
stories and their insights. I know that many of them are retired, but
still active; they keep working to build up this land.
I also want to
dialogue with all those young people who are working to realize their
great and noble aspirations, who are not led astray by facile proposals,
and who face difficult situations, often as a result of immaturity on
the part of many adults. I wish to dialogue with all of you, and I would
like to do so through the historical memory of your people.
My visit takes place at a time when men and women of good will are
marking the anniversaries of several great Americans. The complexities
of history and the reality of human weakness notwithstanding, these men
and women, for all their many differences and limitations, were able by
hard work and self- sacrifice – some at the cost of their lives – to
build a better future. They shaped fundamental values which will endure
forever in the spirit of the American people.
A people with this spirit
can live through many crises, tensions and conflicts, while always
finding the resources to move forward, and to do so with dignity. These
men and women offer us a way of seeing and interpreting reality. In
honoring their memory, we are inspired, even amid conflicts, and in the
here and now of each day, to draw upon our deepest cultural reserves.
I would like to mention four of these Americans: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.
This year marks the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the
assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the guardian of liberty, who
labored tirelessly that "this nation, under God, [might] have a new
birth of freedom". Building a future of freedom requires love of the
common good and cooperation in a spirit of subsidiarity and solidarity.
All of us are quite aware of, and deeply worried by, the disturbing
social and political situation of the world today. Our world is
increasingly a place of violent conflict, hatred and brutal atrocities,
committed even in the name of God and of religion. We know that no
religion is immune from forms of individual delusion or ideological
extremism.
This means that we must be especially attentive to every type
of fundamentalism, whether religious or of any other kind. A delicate
balance is required to combat violence perpetrated in the name of a
religion, an ideology or an economic system, while also safeguarding
religious freedom, intellectual freedom and individual freedoms.
But
there is another temptation which we must especially guard against: the
simplistic reductionist which sees only good or evil; or, if you will,
the righteous and sinners. The contemporary world, with its open wounds
which affect so many of our brothers and sisters, demands that we
confront every form of polarization which would divide it into these two
camps.
We know that in the attempt to be freed of the enemy without, we
can be tempted to feed the enemy within. To imitate the hatred and
violence of tyrants and murderers is the best way to take their place.
That is something which you, as a people, reject.
Our response must instead be one of hope and healing, of peace and
justice. We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to
resolve today’s many geopolitical and economic crises. Even in the
developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all
too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs,
maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of
individuals and of peoples. We must move forward together, as one, in a
renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for
the common good.
The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of
cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history
of the United States. The complexity, the gravity and the urgency of
these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and
resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our
convictions of conscience.
In this land, the various religious denominations have greatly
contributed to building and strengthening society. It is important that
today, as in the past, the voice of faith continue to be heard, for it
is a voice of fraternity and love, which tries to bring out the best in
each person and in each society. Such cooperation is a powerful resource
in the battle to eliminate new global forms of slavery, born of grave
injustices which can be overcome only through new policies and new forms
of social consensus.
Here I think of the political history of the United States, where
democracy is deeply rooted in the mind of the American people. All
political activity must serve and promote the good of the human person
and be based on respect for his or her dignity. "We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed
by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" (Declaration of
Independence, 4 July 1776).
If politics must truly be at the service of
the human person, it follows that it cannot be a slave to the economy
and finance. Politics is, instead, an expression of our compelling need
to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that
of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share,
in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life.
I do
not underestimate the difficulty that this involves, but I encourage you
in this effort.
Here too I think of the march which Martin Luther King led from Selma
to Montgomery fifty years ago as part of the campaign to fulfill his
"dream" of full civil and political rights for African Americans. That
dream continues to inspire us all. I am happy that America continues to
be, for many, a land of "dreams". Dreams which lead to action, to
participation, to commitment. Dreams which awaken what is deepest and
truest in the life of a people.
In recent centuries, millions of people came to this land to pursue
their dream of building a future in freedom. We, the people of this
continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once
foreigners. I say this to you as the son of immigrants, knowing that so
many of you are also descended from immigrants.
Tragically, the rights
of those who were here long before us were not always respected. For
those peoples and their nations, from the heart of American democracy, I
wish to reaffirm my highest esteem and appreciation. Those first
contacts were often turbulent and violent, but it is difficult to judge
the past by the criteria of the present. Nonetheless, when the stranger
in our midst appeals to us, we must not repeat the sins and the errors
of the past.
We must resolve now to live as nobly and as justly as
possible, as we educate new generations not to turn their back on our
"neighbors" and everything around us. Building a nation calls us to
recognize that we must constantly relate to others, rejecting a mindset
of hostility in order to adopt one of reciprocal subsidiarity, in a
constant effort to do our best. I am confident that we can do this.
Our world is facing a refugee crisis of a magnitude not seen since
the Second World War.
This presents us with great challenges and many
hard decisions. On this continent, too, thousands of persons are led to
travel north in search of a better life for themselves and for their
loved ones, in search of greater opportunities. Is this not what we want
for our own children? We must not be taken aback by their numbers, but
rather view them as persons, seeing their faces and listening to their
stories, trying to respond as best we can to their situation. To respond
in a way which is always humane, just and fraternal. We need to avoid a
common temptation nowadays: to discard whatever proves troublesome.
Let
us remember the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you" (Mt 7:12).
This Rule points us in a clear direction. Let us treat others with
the same passion and compassion with which we want to be treated. Let us
seek for others the same possibilities which we seek for ourselves. Let
us help others to grow, as we would like to be helped ourselves. In a
word, if we want security, let us give security; if we want life, let us
give life; if we want opportunities, let us provide opportunities.
The
yardstick we use for others will be the yardstick which time will use
for us.
The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect
and defend human life at every stage of its development.
This conviction has led me, from the beginning of my ministry, to
advocate at different levels for the global abolition of the death
penalty.
I am convinced that this way is the best, since every life is
sacred, every human person is endowed with an inalienable dignity, and
society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of
crimes.
Recently my brother bishops here in the United States renewed
their call for the abolition of the death penalty. Not only do I support
them, but I also offer encouragement to all those who are convinced
that a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of
hope and the goal of rehabilitation.
In these times when social concerns are so important, I cannot fail
to mention the Servant of God Dorothy Day, who founded the Catholic
Worker Movement. Her social activism, her passion for justice and for
the cause of the oppressed, were inspired by the Gospel, her faith, and
the example of the saints.
How much progress has been made in this area in so many parts of the
world! How much has been done in these first years of the third
millennium to raise people out of extreme poverty!
I know that you share
my conviction that much more still needs to be done, and that in times
of crisis and economic hardship a spirit of global solidarity must not
be lost. At the same time I would encourage you to keep in mind all
those people around us who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. They too
need to be given hope.
The fight against poverty and hunger must be
fought constantly and on many fronts, especially in its causes. I know
that many Americans today, as in the past, are working to deal with this
problem.
It goes without saying that part of this great effort is the creation
and distribution of wealth. The right use of natural resources, the
proper application of technology and the harnessing of the spirit of
enterprise are essential elements of an economy which seeks to be
modern, inclusive and sustainable.
Business is a noble vocation,
directed to producing wealth and improving the world. It can be a
fruitful source of prosperity for the area in which it operates,
especially if it sees the creation of jobs as an essential part of its
service to the common good". This common good also
includes the earth, a central theme of the encyclical which I recently
wrote in order to "enter into dialogue with all people about our common
home.
We need a conversation which includes everyone, since
the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots,
concern and affect us all.
I call for a courageous and responsible effort to
"redirect our steps", and to avert the most serious effects
of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity. I am
convinced that we can make a difference and I have no doubt that the
United States – and this Congress – have an important role to play.
Now
is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing
a "culture of care", and an integrated approach to
combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same
time protecting nature. We have the freedom needed to
limit and direct technology to devise intelligent ways
of... developing and limiting our power, and to put
technology at the service of another type of progress, one which is
healthier, more human, more social, more integral
In this
regard, I am confident that America’s outstanding academic and research
institutions can make a vital contribution in the years ahead.
A century ago, at the beginning of the Great War, which Pope Benedict
XV termed a "pointless slaughter", another notable American was born:
the Cistercian monk Thomas Merton. He remains a source of spiritual
inspiration and a guide for many people. In his autobiography he wrote:
"I came into the world. Free by nature, in the image of God, I was
nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness, in
the image of the world into which I was born. That world was the picture
of Hell, full of men like myself, loving God, and yet hating him; born
to love him, living instead in fear of hopeless self-contradictory
hungers.
Merton was above all a man of prayer, a thinker who challenged
the certitudes of his time and opened new horizons for souls and for
the Church. He was also a man of dialogue, a promoter of peace between
peoples and religions.
From this perspective of dialogue, I would like to recognize the
efforts made in recent months to help overcome historic differences
linked to painful episodes of the past. It is my duty to build bridges
and to help all men and women, in any way possible, to do the same. When
countries which have been at odds resume the path of dialogue – a
dialogue which may have been interrupted for the most legitimate of
reasons – new opportunities open up for all. This has required, and
requires, courage and daring, which is not the same as irresponsibility.
A good political leader is one who, with the interests of all in mind,
seizes the moment in a spirit of openness and pragmatism. A good
political leader always opts to initiate processes rather than
possessing spaces.
Being at the service of dialogue and peace also means being truly
determined to minimize and, in the long term, to end the many armed
conflicts throughout our world.
Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are
deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering
on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply
for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In
the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to
confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.
Three sons and a daughter of this land, four individuals and four
dreams: Lincoln, liberty; Martin Luther King, liberty in plurality and
non-exclusion; Dorothy Day, social justice and the rights of persons;
and Thomas Merton, the capacity for dialogue and openness to God.
Four representatives of the American people.
I will end my visit to your country in Philadelphia, where I will
take part in the World Meeting of Families. It is my wish that
throughout my visit the family should be a recurrent theme. How
essential the family has been to the building of this country! And how
worthy it remains of our support and encouragement!
Yet I cannot hide my
concern for the family, which is threatened, perhaps as never before,
from within and without. Fundamental relationships are being called into
question, as is the very basis of marriage and the family. I can only
reiterate the importance and, above all, the richness and the beauty of
family life.
In particular, I would like to call attention to those family members
who are the most vulnerable, the young. For many of them, a future
filled with countless possibilities beckons, yet so many others seem
disoriented and aimless, trapped in a hopeless maze of violence, abuse
and despair. Their problems are our problems.
We cannot avoid them.
We
need to face them together, to talk about them and to seek effective
solutions rather than getting bogged down in discussions. At the risk of
oversimplifying, we might say that we live in a culture which pressures
young people not to start a family, because they lack possibilities for
the future. Yet this same culture presents others with so many options
that they too are dissuaded from starting a family.
A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln
did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to "dream" of full
rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought
to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as
Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes
dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton.
In these remarks I have sought to present some of the richness of
your cultural heritage, of the spirit of the American people. It is my
desire that this spirit continue to develop and grow, so that as many
young people as possible can inherit and dwell in a land which has
inspired so many people to dream.
"God bless America!"
