Pope Francis and President Barack Obama seemed to have shared notes before their speeches at the White House Wednesday morning. They both addressed climate change. They both emphasized the importance of helping the vulnerable. In keeping with their likeminded remarks, shortly after Pope Francis left for his next stop, the White House announced a series of recent and future efforts that will help those vulnerable around the country, including a $13 million grant to deter Central American kids from joining gangs.
At the combined speech that morning, Pope Francis said he wanted to see a society that was “truly tolerant and inclusive, to safeguarding the rights of individuals and communities, and to rejecting every form of unjust discrimination.”
Likewise, Obama emphasized that the duty of individuals and societies is “to lift up the poor and the marginalized, to stand up for justice and against inequality, and to ensure that every human being is able to live in dignity”
The two shared a brief stroll, Obama gave Pope Francis two gifts, then the Pope left for the Cathedral of St. Matthews, where he would address some 300 cardinals. During that trip, the White House released a statement with a list of efforts it intends to make to help refugees fleeing their home countries, to eliminate extreme poverty, and to tackle climate change.