Pope Visit

Local reps inspired by pope’s remarks

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Before Pope Francis ventured to New York last week, he started his visit in the nation’s capital. While in Washington, he spoke to members of Congress, touching on a variety of issues, including immigration and the refugee crisis, poverty and homelessness, and governing.

“It was almost like being in church,” said U.S. Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), who added that as a Catholic, being in the presence of the pope was incredibly moving.

King and fellow Long Island representatives Kathleen Rice (D-Garden City) and Gregory Meeks (D-St. Albans) all found the pope’s address inspiring. “You could tell that every word had been thought out beforehand,” King said. “There was no political cheap talk thrown in there, no sound bites.”

Rice, who represents much of Nassau County’s South Shore, said that for her — a Catholic, an American and a public servant — the pope’s words will resonate for years to come. “I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to see and hear Pope Francis in person,” she said. “He inspired us today to hope for a better future, and challenged us to build that future and extend that same hope to the most hopeless among us, those trapped in cycles of violence, poverty and despair. He told us that ‘their problems are our problems.’”

Francis said that America has been and continues to be a land of dreams, as millions of people have come here in search of freedom. He called on congressional leaders and Americans to avoid a fear of foreigners, and to respond in a humane way to the refugee crisis.

King said that the pope’s speech served as a reminder that the U.S. must strike a balance between being a welcoming nation and protecting the safety of Americans. He said that regardless of the issues, congressmen and women must remember that the lives of real people are always at stake.

Meeks, who represents portions of western Nassau County, said he, too, was touched by the pope’s words on immigration. “The pope urged us to remember that most of us were ourselves foreigners or the descendants of foreigners aspiring to the American dream, a point he implored us to consider as we address poverty, immigration and conflict not just in America, but throughout the Americas and the world,” Meeks said. “I was heartened by his words about the importance of dialogue so that shared understanding and mutual trust can lead the world away from conflict.”

The pope also called for a renewal of cooperation to solve the challenges facing the U.S., and reminded members of Congress to serve with their constituents in mind. “It is my fervent prayer that my colleagues received this message with open hearts and minds,” Meeks said, “as we look to act in the best interest of our nation and the global community.”

King said that throughout the pope’s speech, he and his fellow members of Congress sat quietly focused, hanging on Francis’s every word. The only other congressional address King could compare it to was when President George W. Bush spoke after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Having growing up in an era when the pope was rarely seen, let alone traveled to other countries, King said he was grateful for the chance to be part of history. “It’s as outstanding an experience as anyone could get in Congress,” he said.