On Tuesday, Pope Francis wraps up his extended weekend trip to Cuba with a mass at the shrine of the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre then boards a plane for the United States, where his first stop will be Washington, D.C. President Obama is meeting the pope at the airport, ahead of a White House reception and private Oval Office meeting on Wednesday and an address to both houses of Congress on Thursday. Pope Francis wasn't overtly political in Cuba, but American politicians in both parties are a bit nervous about what the outspoken pope will say in the U.S.
The White House, especially, is striving to avoid politicizing the visit. "Pope Francis and the president share many values," Christopher Hale, executive director of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, tells The Wall Street Journal, but the pope "has a profound aversion to being used as a political football to push people's agendas." You can see more about Washington's preparations in the Reuters video below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Pope seeks inquiry on if Gaza assault is 'genocide'Speed Read In a book for the Jubilee 2025, Pope Francis considers whether Israel's war in Gaza meets the legal definition of 'genocide'
-
Church of England head resigns over abuse scandalSpeed Read Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby faced backlash over his handling of a notorious child abuser
-
Catholic synod ends with no resolution on womenSpeed Read At a major Vatican meeting, Pope Francis did not address ordaining women as deacons
-
The Vatican's stand on gender-affirming careSpeed Read A new published document condemns gender transition, calling it a threat to human dignity
-
The United Methodist Church has lost 20% of U.S. congregations in schism over LGBTQ rulesSpeed Read
-
Pope Francis investigates Texas bishop, accepts early resignation of embattled Tennessee prelateSpeed Read
-
Southern Baptists expel Saddleback, 2nd church over female pastors, approve further clampdownSpeed Read
-
Thousands flock to Missouri to see body of nun who died in 2019Speed Read
