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Pelosi Statement on Audience with His Holiness Pope Francis

October 9, 2021

Contact: Speaker's Press Office,

202-226-7616

Vatican City – Speaker Nancy Pelosi released this statement after an audience with His Holiness Pope Francis this morning:

"It was a spiritual, personal and official honor to have an audience with His Holiness Pope Francis this morning. His Holiness's leadership is a source of joy and hope for Catholics and for all people, challenging each of us to be good stewards of God's creation, to act on climate, to embrace the refugee, the immigrant and the poor, and to recognize the dignity and divinity in everyone.

"His Holiness's encyclical Laudato Si' is a powerful challenge to the global community to act decisively on the climate crisis with special attention to the most vulnerable communities. I expressed the gratitude of those working on climate action in the Congress for the immense moral clarity and urgency that His Holiness continues to bring to the climate crisis, and how we continue to cherish his address to the Joint Session of Congress in 2015.

"His Holiness commands our attention to honor the Gospel of Matthew by serving ‘the least of these,' lifting up those who have been left out or left behind, especially in the time of COVID.

"In San Francisco, we take special pride in Pope Francis, who shares the namesake of our city and whose song of St. Francis is our anthem. ‘Lord, make me a channel of thy peace. Where there is darkness, may we bring light. Where there is hatred, may we bring love. Where there is despair, may we bring hope.'"

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