The Pope arrived at Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday, September 22, 2015. He was welcomed not only by a red carpet, but also by hundreds of guests, including the First Family. His arrival began a journey of six days that would take him through Washington D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. His first visit to the U.S. featured an address to Congress and a mass of about 1.5 million people. Schools have been closing, people have been seen wearing I heart Pope Francis T-shirts and even an Italian restaurant in Time Square, Buca Di Beppo, has been reserving a parking spot for the Popemobile, all in anticipation for his visit. Not even the Kardashians would cause this amount of commotion! This leaves us all wondering, why is the Pope’s visit so important?
Four Reasons Why The Pope Matters:
1. He’s not only the head of the Roman Catholic Church, he is also a political leader.
Vatican City became its own independent city-state in February 11, 1929. This not only makes the pope a religious leader but a head of state, as well. This sets him apart from other leaders, and we all know that with great power comes great responsibility. He is one of the most influential people in our society.
2. He challenges society.
Pope Francis has used his powers for good by reforming the Catholic Church. He chooses to do this his own way, which makes him stand out from popes of the past. His humble persona has a strong impact on the church and society. His words resonate to the public. He also brings up personal issues that many popes have been afraid to touch upon.
3. People can relate to him.
Pope Francis knows how to reach the millennials, and he does this through Twitter. He receives 9,000 retweets per tweet on average! The Huffington Post said that while “President Barack Obama is still by the far most followed world leader on Twitter, Pope Francis is considered the most influential by the number of his messages retweeted.” By speaking about touchy subjects such as abortion, justice and equality, he has gotten the attention of a younger audience. His words have impacted millions all over the world.
4. He reminds us of our priorities.
As the “Servant of the Servants of God,” Pope Francis does a great job of humbling us. Pope Francis reminds us that our true responsibility is to serve and help others. He keeps us grounded and reminds us of our greater priorities. He speaks against capitalism and globalization. He is not afraid to tell us that we are letting things get out of hand. He reminds us that there is a lot more to life than materials. He is an agent of love, unity, and peace.
Courtesy: The Huffington Post
Pope Francis’ visit is important to the U.S. because it has united both Catholics and non-Catholics. He has served as an inspiration to all of us.