September 13, 2015:

President Obama to Pope Francis: I'll Pick You Up At the Airport

By Naja Rayne @najarayne
09/09/2015 AT 07:00 PM EDT

In a somewhat rare move, the White House has announced that President Obama and First Lady, Michelle Obama, will meet Pope Francis' arriving plane when he lands in the United States later this month.

While it's rare for President Obama to meet a foreign dignitary's plane, the greeting of the Pope at the airport is not unheard of. In 2008, former President George W. Bush and First Lady, Laura Bush, met Pope Benedict at the same Maryland military base.

Click on Link:

http://www.people.com/article/president-obama-will-greet-pope-francis-arriving-plane

Papal visits to the United States

United States Conference f Catholic bishops

Pope Francis is the fourth pope to visit the United States. His apostolic journey to the United States is scheduled to take place September 22-27, 2015, and he will visit Washington, New York and Philadelphia. Pope Francis' visit will be the tenth time a pope has made an apostolic journey to the United States.

Click on Link:

http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/papal-visit-2015/history-papal-visits-to-united-states.cfm

Vladimir Putin Tests the Limits of Pope Francis’ Powers

Elizabeth Dias@elizabethjdias - June 9, 2015

Vladimir Putin is no longer welcome at the G7, thanks to his government’s continued incursions into Ukraine’s territory. But two days after the meeting of Western powers in Germany, the Russian leader has a meeting with another world leader: Pope Francis.

The Bishop of Rome may not represent the United States or Germany, but he is increasingly a superpower in his own right, and the Wednesday meeting is a diplomatic test of how Francis will use his influence.

Pope Francis has been working to carefully move the relationship forward, especially to advance some of the Vatican’s other diplomatic interests. He wrote to Putin when he was hosting the G-20 summit in 2013 and urged world leaders there to oppose military intervention in Syria. The Vatican has been strengthening ties with Orthodox Christian leaders via ecumenical efforts and Pope Francis’ friendship with Patriarch Bartholomew, the leader of the Orthodox Christian Church, whose leadership is at times at odds with the Russian Orthodox Church closely tied to Putin’s government.

Click on Link:

http://time.com/3915083/vladimir-putin-pope-francis-ukraine/

Report: Possible Meeting Between Pope Francis and Vladimir Putin at the UN

Rome, September 11, 2015 (ZENIT.org) Staff Reporter | 1224 hits

Pope Francis will be the fourth Pontiff to address the United Nations after Paul VI (October 4, 1965), John Paul II (October 2, 1979 and October 5, 1995), and Benedict XVI (April 18, 2008, seven years ago). Moreover, the Holy Father -- who on his arrival will be greeted by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, accompanied by his wife Ban Soon-taek -- with numerous Heads of State present will sign the “Program for Development 2015-2030.”

Meanwhile, the White House confirmed that President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, will be on hand to greet the Holy Father when he arrives at Andrews Air Force Base. This will be only the second time that an American head of state will welcome the Pope at the military base. The first time was in 2008 when former President George W. Bush welcomed Pope Benedict XVI.

Click on Link:

http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/report-possible-meeting-between-pope-francis-and-vladimir-putin-at-the-un

Pope Philadelphia Visit 2015: Native Americans To Ask Francis To Renounce 'Doctrine of Discovery,' Past Crimes Committed By Catholic Church

By Adam Lidgett@AdamLidgetton August 13 2015 9:17 AM EDT

Native American leaders want to ask Pope Francis during his visit to the U.S. to renounce a more than 500-year-old doctrine that allowed for European explorers to subjugate Native Americans when they began colonizing America, according to Catholic Online. Various Native American tribal leaders are planning a protest next month while the Pope is in Philadelphia to appeal to him to repeal a 1452 “Doctrine of Discovery” signed by Pope Nicholas V authorizing European explorers to conquer infidel territory and declare war on all non-Christians, according to the Anti-Defamation League . The doctrine, in place 40 years before Christopher Columbus landed in the Western Hemisphere, has never officially been renounced by the Roman Catholic Church.

The doctrine also called for the enslavement of any Native Americans explorers might find. Though other popes throughout the 16th and 17 centuries condemned the idea that Native Americans should be treated as “animals” and even at one point excommunicated any Catholic who held Native American slaves, the doctrine remains in place. 

The doctrine is a very old, deep wound for Native Americans that is still relevant in today’s society, Oren Lyons, a Native American "faithkeeper" and activist, told Catholic Online.

Click on Link:

http://www.ibtimes.com/pope-philadelphia-visit-2015-native-americans-ask-francis-renounce-doctrine-discovery-2051950

Native Americans will ask Pope Francis to rescind 'Doctrine of Discovery' during his U.S. visit

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)

8/12/2015 (1 month ago)

Native American representatives are thrilled with Pope Francis' sincere apologies for the Catholic Church's widespread mistreatment of indigenous people - but they want his to go even further. Several figures from the United States' Indian tribes say they want the Pope to rescind the church's "Doctrine of Discovery," which has long been a sore spot for them, during his trip to the U.S. in September.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The Doctrine of Discovery, it was first expressed by Pope Nicholas V in 1452. The document authorized the King of Portugal at that time to "invade, capture, vanquish and subdue. All Saracens and pagans, and other enemies of Christ... to reduce such persons to perpetual slavery" and "to take away all their possessions and property."

The doctrine hit the New World hard right after Columbus sailed to the New World. Pope Alexander VI reaffirmed the policy by giving European monarchs sovereignty in newly "discovered" lands occupied by "barbarous nations."

Many Native American people now want Francis to finally renounce Vatican policy toward Indians that has remained in effect for more than 500 years.

"This is a very ancient wound," Oren Lyons, faith keeper for the Onondaga says. "But it continues to fester, and it's relevant in the world today."

Click on Link:

http://www.catholic.org/news/national/story.php?id=62801