POPE-WHITE HOUSE
Pope receives a White House welcome
WASHINGTON (AP) β Thousands of people at the White House, and many more on the streets of Washington, have welcomed Pope Francis as he continues his first visit to the United States.
In remarks Wednesday at the White House, the pontiff offered messages that will please both liberals and conservatives in America.
Speaking in a soft voice in halting English, the pope spoke against those who doubt the science of climate change. He said the warming of the planet calls for a “serious and responsible recognition” of what awaits today’s children.
But he also issued a pointed appeal to protect religious liberty, which he called “one of America’s most precious possessions.”
Religious freedom has become a rallying cry for opponents of gay marriage in the U.S. who don’t want to recognize same-sex spouses in their charities, schools, hospitals and businesses. The issue is a major point of tension between Obama and the U.S. bishops.
Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed)
POPE-PARADE
Pope kisses children during parade
WASHINGTON (AP) β Pope Francis has delighted an adoring crowd with his popemobile procession in Washington.
The pope moved slowly past throngs lining his route from the White House, waving from an outfitted Jeep that is open on the sides.
At one point, a 5-year-old girl carrying a yellow banner got outside the police barricade holding the crowds back and tried to approach the popemobile. She shied back when a bodyguard came near to pick her up and bring her to Francis. But then the pope gestured to her to come to him, and she allowed the bodyguard to pick her up and bring her to Francis for a papal kiss and blessing.
The pope also paused twice to have babies brought to him, and he kissed them on the head.
It was his first encounter with the American public, after his invitation-only event on the White House South Lawn.
242-a-05-(Sophie Cruz, 5-year-old girl from California who briefly spoke with Pope Francis and handed him a letter about her parents, during the Pope’s parade)-“to be happy”-Sophie Cruz, a 5-year-old girl from California, who was allowed to approach the pope during his parade, says she was trying to explain that her parents are migrants from Mexico, but she’s a U.S. citizen, and wanted the pope to ask Congress to help keep them together. (23 Sep 2015)
< 298-a-05-(Sophie Cruz, 5-year-old girl from California who briefly spoke with Pope Francis and handed him a letter about her parents, with reporters, after the pope’s parade)-“my family away”-Sophie Cruz, a 5-year-old girl from California, who was allowed to approach the pope during his parade, says, because her parents are not here legally, and she and her sister are U.S.-born, she worries that her parents will be deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ((cut used in wrap)) (23 Sep 2015) < POPE-LITTLE GIRL Little girl shares immigration message with pope WASHINGTON (AP) β An immigration advocate says the girl who was handed up to the pope during Francis’ Wednesday morning parade in Washington shared a message about the status of immigrant parents of children born in the United States. Alicia Flores of La Hermandad (ayr-mahn-DAHD’), an immigration advocacy group, says 5-year-old Sophie Cruz also carried a T-shirt and a letter addressed to Pope Francis that bore her name and address in suburban Los Angeles. Sophie got beyond a barricade and approached the popemobile Wednesday morning. Sophie shied back when a bodyguard came near. But when the pope gestured to her, she allowed the bodyguard to pick her up and bring her forward for a papal kiss and blessing. A guard passed the shirt and message into the popemobile. 297-a-15-(Sophie Cruz, 5-year-old girl from California who briefly spoke with Pope Francis and handed him a letter about her parents, with reporters, after the pope’s parade)-“away from me”-Sophie Cruz, a 5-year-old girl from California, who was allowed to approach the pope during his parade, says she handed him a letter, explaining the immigration plight of her family. ((longer version of cut used in wrap)) (23 Sep 2015) < 296-w-37-(Jackie Quinn, AP correspondent, with Sophie Cruz, 5-year-old girl from California who briefly spoke with Pope Francis and handed him a letter about her parents)–A little girl with braids caught the attention of Pope Francis on the parade route in Washington, D.C., and in doing so, focused the attention of the world on immigration reform. AP correspondent Jackie Quinn reports. (23 Sep 2015) < Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed) POPE-IDEOLOGY Pope crosses ideological lines in US WASHINGTON (AP) β In a single sentence, Pope Francis has shown how he transcends the ideological polarities of U.S. politics. In an address to American bishops Wednesday, the pope spoke out against abortion, an issue close to the heart of Republicans, and against environmental devastation, a surefire applause line for Democrats. He spoke on behalf of immigrants, too, and pushed a few other hot buttons. All in one sentence. Francis said: “The innocent victim of abortion; children who die of hunger or from bombings; immigrants who drown in the search for a better tomorrow; the elderly or the sick who are considered a burden; the victims of terrorism, wars, violence and drug trafficking; the environment devastated by man’s predatory relationship with nature β at stake in all of this is the gift of God, of which we are noble stewards but not masters.” Such positions will be placed in front of Congress on Thursday when Francis addresses lawmakers. Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed) POPE-CLERGY ABUSE Pope addresses clergy abuse scandals WASHINGTON (AP) β Pope Francis has praised U.S. bishops for their response to the clergy sex abuse crisis. Speaking before the bishops Wednesday at a worship service in Washington, Francis lauded them for what he called their “generous commitment to bring healing to victims.” He praised them for having courage and acting, as he saw it, “without fear of self-criticism.” The clergy sex abuse scandal erupted in the U.S. in 2002 and turned into the biggest crisis in the history of the American church. Under enormous public pressure, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops pledged to oust any guilty clergy from church work and to enact safeguards for children. However, the scandal persists, and the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests says the bishops still haven’t fully accounted for sheltering abusers. This year, three bishops have resigned in crises over their failures to protect children. POPE-US SAINT Pope canonizes 18th-century missionary; critics angered WASHINGTON (AP) β The first pope from the Americas has elevated to sainthood an 18th-century missionary who brought Catholicism to California. Pope Francis canonized St. Junipero (hoo-NEE-perr-oh) Serra during a Mass in Spanish Wednesday outside Washington’s Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It’s the first time a pope has elevated someone to sainthood on U.S. soil. Serra’s canonization is controversial, especially in California, where Native Americans say he wiped out indigenous culture, enslaved converts and spread disease. But Pope Francis said Serra “sought to defend the dignity of the Native community (and) to protect it from those who had mistreated and abused it.” The Mass helped highlight America’s Hispanic heritage. Pope Francis has said Serra also was one of America’s founding fathers. The canonization also signified the pope’s recognition of America’s swelling Hispanic population and the growing percentage of immigrants in U.S. Catholic churches. 254-r-13-(Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl, in Spanish, at canonization Mass)–Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl, in Spanish, asks the Holy Father to canonize Junipero Serra. ((Junipero is pronounced hoo-NEE-perr-oh)) (23 Sep 2015) < 264-a-10-(Pope Francis, through translator, at canonization Mass)-“and abused it”-Pope Francis, through a translator, says Junipero Serra was a protector of Native Americans. ((Junipero is pronounced hoo-NEE-perr-oh)) (23 Sep 2015) < 255-r-11-(Pope Francis, in Spanish, at canonization Mass)–Pope Francis, in Spanish, recommends Junipero Serra for sainthood. ((Junipero is pronounced hoo-NEE-perr-oh)) (23 Sep 2015) < Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed) PEOPLE-ARETHA FRANKLIN Aretha Franklin has a song β and a gift β for pope NEW YORK (AP) β Getting Aretha Franklin to sing for you could be considered a gift in itself. But the Queen of Soul has something special for Pope Francis when she performs for him at the Festival of Families concert in Philadelphia on Saturday. Franklin said in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday that she’ll present the pope with a huge box set of sermons by her father, civil rights activist C.L. Franklin, a famous preacher in his own right. She’s one of several singers set to perform for the pope’s historic visit to the U.S. He arrived in Washington on Tuesday. He’ll visit New York City before ending his trip with a visit to Philadelphia. Franklin said she felt “most appreciated” to be included in the concert. She plans to sing “Amazing Grace” for Pope Francis and another song she declined to reveal. Said Franklin: “I’ll let you be surprised.” JESUS WELCOME SIGN East Texas city leaders vote to take down Jesus welcome sign HAWKINS, Texas (AP) β Leaders of an East Texas town facing a possible legal challenge have decided to remove a sign that says “Jesus Welcomes You To Hawkins.” The Hawkins City Council on Monday voted to take down the sign along Highway 80. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation says the sign, believed to be on city property, is unconstitutional and demanded it be removed. Critics say the sign violates separation of church and state. Mayor Will Rogers says there’s a continuing deed dispute about whether the property belongs to the city or a business. Students in a shop class made the sign that’s been displayed since 2011 in Hawkins, a town of about 1,300 located 95 miles southeast of Dallas. The sign was erected at the request of Rogers before he became mayor. RUSSIA-NEW MOSQUE Mosque opening in Moscow attended by Putin, Abbas, Erdogan MOSCOW (AP) β Russian President Vladimir Putin has been joined by the Turkish and Palestinian leaders at the ceremonial opening of the Russian capital’s new main mosque. An estimated 2 million Muslims now live in Moscow, which has seen an influx of people from the North Caucasus republics of southern Russia, Azerbaijan and the former Soviet states in Central Asia. The new mosque β built on the site of a smaller, more than 100-year-old mosque destroyed in 2011 β can accommodate 10,000 worshippers, but it is still one of only six mosques in the city. Calls from Muslim religious leaders to build more mosques have met with opposition from city officials and residents. Putin was joined at Wednesday’s ceremony by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
