Congressman Henry Cuellar recently released the following statement on Pope Francis’ address to a joint meeting of Congress:
“Pope Francis’ visit to our nation’s Capital was a truly historic event. His address to Congress was greatly welcomed by many of my colleagues as we put aside our partisan politics to listen to a world leader on peace. I invited a number of my constituents to listen and take part of this momentous occasion as I believe in building peace and understanding in order to make our nation fair and prosperous for everyone. Pope Francis has brought people with different ideologies together to talk about our most pressing issues, such as immigration and social inequalities. But, regardless of religion, I believe Pope Francis’ commitment to peace, goodwill and the Golden Rule is something that all of us should adhere to.
“Pope Francis’ stances on the key issues of our time transcend the political boxes we often place ourselves into, but they carry clear lessons for politicians in the U.S. and across the world. The pope’s emphasis on our social responsibility to do good for our communities is a clear call to action that we cannot ignore. As a practicing Roman Catholic, I found particularly moving His Holiness’ exhortation to legislate justly and with compassion for everyone in our society.
“A running theme throughout the pope’s address was the need for greater dialogue. At a time of fractured relations between both parties in Congress, and between so many different groups outside Washington, I hope that all my colleagues take His Holiness’ address to heart.
