The 10 Most Political Moments In Pope Francis’ Address To Congress

Pope Francis speaks his mind, and he did that again in his address to a joint meeting of Congress Thursday morning. But, in the vein of the best Jesuit teachers, Francis praised America, its rich political history and its ideals before delicately delivering some things its political leaders might, well, want to consider working on.

There were political messages that challenged the orthodoxy of both American political parties, but, in this 51-minute address, there were a lot more points of emphasis Democrats are happy about — and that put some pressure on Republicans.

Here were 10 moments that stood out from his address:

1. Embracing John Kerry.

2. A call to rise above polarization.

3. A call for the country to open its arms to immigrants and refugees.

4. A reminder on abortion.

5. Strongly advocating for abolishing the death penalty.

6. Poverty and the necessity of ‘distribution of wealth’.

7. Business should be about ‘service to the common good’.

8. Calling on Congress to act on climate change.

9. Anti-war message and a call to stop arms trade.

10. The importance of family and marriage.

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