While raising my brother and me, which was a challenge in and of itself. American people are working harder today than ever before. That is a fact. More hours, more productive, and yet, real wages are not any higher today. That is a disgrace. Virginia, west philadelphia, and most of our country. The more we can focus on those issues, i think the better off we will be. Host representative brendan boyle. Democrat from looking at a live picture hotel in Downtown Washington dc. We are waiting from a briefing from father Federico Lombardi. He is the vatican spokesman. It will get underway soon. We will have it for you life. Ve. The pump arriving two hours ago, around 4 00 p. M. Eastern time. The book now at the vatican mission, which is like an embassy on massachusetts avenue, kitty corner of the Vice President s residence. Here are some of the schedule coming up. A 40 5 a. M. , a welcoming ceremony on the south lawn of the white house. Andave that on cspan and then at 4 00 p. M. In the afternoon, a mass of the National Shrine of the immaculate conception. On thursday it is a 10 00 a. M. Joint meeting of congress. Friday the travels to new york for a 10 00 a. M. Speech to the human General Assembly. In a multireligious 9 11 Memorial Service in all that is covered live on cspan, if you miss some of it you have it on our website. While we wait for this News Conference we had a chance to eat with an author who has written a biography of pope francis. United states. What do you think is the goal of this visit of the pope . Guest two things. One is there are international events, the world meeting of families is the immediate cause. He was to talk to the u. N. About climate change. He has the whole raft of issues like the refugee crisis, social and equality that is just one side of it. He wants to balance that bite fisting the poor, immigrants, thirdgraders in harlem. He wants to have two messages. One for the leaders, one for the people. Host the idea that he is addressing politicians, such as the addressee will make in congress, he will meet with the president. How does that compare with previous popes, as far as the political visits . Guest he is more overtly political. Previous popes would have those conversations behind the scenes. This pope is very frank. When he met with president obama in the vatican, he said, im speaking to you not as pope, but as a lot american, and we will for out cuba. He is more politically engaged. Pope benedict was a theologian who put ideas forward in a scholarly way, and hope that people would read his books. This pope is out there in the political marketplace. Host you brought up cuba. Does the pope ever will in the current warming of relations . Guest absolutely. He wrote a secret letter to obama and the cuban president urging them to move forward. They had eight secret meetings and canada. When the negotiations stalled, the pope said to both of the men, come on, trust me to get you to trust one another. He wrote another letter. He has been a really big figure and this. He has tried to play a down, but he has been a big wheel. Host paul vallely is here to talk about the popes visit and themes and his book. If you want to ask of questions about it, as the pope arrives in washington today, 202 7488000 for democrats. Im helen osman, the media coordinator. We are honored to have with us father Federico Lombardi, people spokesperson and head of the office. Father lombardi will be providing daily briefings to the media across the three cities that the pope visits this week in the United States. We are all drawn it also honored to have with us to archbishop of galveston, houston, and Vice President of the u. S. Conference of catholic bishops. Representing the local church, the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of washington. The format for this evening will that each of our printable say a few opening works, and and over the floor to questions. Father lombardi, which like to start . Very much. U i think you all for being here and were working for the coverage of the papal visit. That in the first meeting of the pope on the plane with a journalist leaving from rome, he said to the journalist for thelight thank you service you will do in helping me in my mission and spreading peaceews and the news of that is essential in this visit to cuba and the u. S. And the end of the greeting that he has said to all of the journalist on the plane, he has had please say to all your colleagues that i would say the same to them. Thank you for your work in the coverage of this visit, and please help me to give good news of the peace that is in the world. You, notthis also for only for the group that is flying with the pope. The pope comes from cuba, as you know. His visit happy about in cuba. It is good as always. Here now, happy to be with the president ial family as you have seen. In his characteristic motorcade, with all these cars, and then there is this pope. Very easy to recognize where the pope is because he is the smallest car of the motorcade. [laughter] when the pope arrives from cuba, having done in the past toth another important visit america. This means that in some months visits five lands of the american continent. Latin america to Central America and to the u. S. Not america. I think it is good to reflect on how the pontificate proceeds. Way in the entire world aong the pope has begun with visit in brazil, and then the visit to a land in europe, in the balkans. Then he visited asia. And now he comes back to america , latin america, and north america. Month ine next november he will be also in africa. This means that the experience of the universal pastor is growing. It is growing not only meeting bishops from every part of the world of people coming from every part of the world, but also traveling in different parts of the world and inerstanding the problems mankind of today. I feel that the pope is now ready to address global done in the he has catholic seat. Doing it is less in the last months, and latin. Merica and now here now havehat the pope the experience and the moral andority to bring answers questions to the most important assemblies of the world of today. Therefore, the speech you will in front of the congress of the United Nations assembly will be very interesting because it speaks of a person that has authoritygrate moral and is able to interpret the question that comes from the global mankind. And to try to give orientation of thewers to the people entire world. And the occasion in particular here, and washington and in new york with these important speeches, obviously in their expectation of every one of us, our inclusion in this way of the service of the pope for the peace in the world. This orientation and solidarity of government, and the most important western of today. Question of today. The popes year for the first time, as you know. And this is an attitude of humility, of respect, of interest, because he will speak but he will also learn. He speaks always of ofcounter person persons. For him this is a grate occasion of new encounter. I think he is also in the attitude of someone that comes to receive, not only to give. This is very interesting. We expect very much from him, but he is also always open to what he can receive from others, and attitude of the dialogue. This is what i had in mind to the first reflection. The problem of the visit is already in your hands. I do not need to do all these. We have tomorrow morning, the visit, the reception at the white house. It is obviously very important, and will also be the first t speech in english of the pope. Things weat the other will address later. Thank you. Thank you, father lombardi. Cardinal . First of all we are excited to welcome pope francis to washington. Across the country, even to use a personal association. He is been visiting these cities, that this is an apostolic journey to the entire church in the united days. Term incomes past. S a shepherd messagea clarity of the he is bringing. Tois coming as a shepherd support his people and to reach out. He is inviting us all to rise above whatever may divide is culturally and politically, and toward Greater Service toward one another. In short, he comes to speak the mind and the heart of the gospel. From the point of view of myself and the episcopal conference, role is to step back and leave room for the message of the holy father to be received in all of its fullness. Thank you, your evidence. Bishop . Thank you. Ofbehalf of the archbishop washington, we are thrilled with the visit of his holiness, pope francis to our archdiocese. We have been preparing for quite a long time. To duringing forward his words of the joy of the andel and all that he says his charity that we see over these couple of years. We will witness them within the archdiocese of washington. With all of these months of operation i want to war a moment cause and express some things to a number of individuals and groups who have been very involved in the planning and assisted us in the archdiocese of washington. We are very grateful to the secret service and all the help they have given towards security and the officials who have been a part of the process from the beginning. Mayor, the city officials, the chief of police, the metropolitan police, and the fire and Emergency Services in the city as well. Andppreciate of the police all the people of washington. We anticipate more in the coming days. To express thanks to the staff. I start speaking about thanks, endeavor in denver blessings. Winter of the microphone, give us your name, the name of the outlet you are present, and to whom your were addressing the question. Hello, my name is michelle from the washington post. To clarifyatlanta something that was quoted from the plane for those of us who were not there. There will be a lot of interest in this comment, about the pope talking if he is to the left. Can you explain what he was asked and what he meant . He was asked in a context about economics. Can you clarify what was said . Father Federico Lombardi i think that he has answered the question that already in other times and occasion was done. Answer is if his what is less or more in the teaching of the church. I am in this line, in this tradition. Im not going to Say Something is more left or more right than what is even in the compendium of the doctrine of the church. Obviously this is true. Someone asked him after the via inleby bolivia, you are proposing directions in the engagement of the social service in the church. Do you think that the church will follow you . Is not to, the church follow me, i am following the church. Following with the vision of the church is in the social teaching. This is what i am doing. That are not many people know the complexity and the richness of the teaching of the church and interpreted in a limited way. Is in this clearer tradition. To match thees team of the solidarity. Expression, heme speaks now from social friendship. Solidarity, and the intention to the order in building together. Something to do with the friendship of what human amongons, what concrete persons. Classical presentation of that social thinking of the church. Last yearso in the , addressingeaching in particular new questions of like the today environment that are now more crucial than in the past. Always in the direction of the tradition of the vision of the church. This is what he has stressed again today during his conversation. Thank you. My name this is a question for you. Ou probably know Mother Teresa and you give a testament to the plight of macedonia . Theer Federico Lombardi a clear agendat of the visit for the next year. Either known or public. There is no fixed agenda. The only trip that is clear and decided our africa in november, other trips are not decided. That the pope, for the visit in europe, has chosen slovenia, and macedonia. A particular attention to this region. I cannot exclude this in the , we will be attentive to this request. There is no project of a visit to macedonia. Gretchen crowe, our sunday visitor. Father lombardi, the world meeting of families began today in philadelphia. Pope francis mentioned this morning in his meeting with families, he asked everyone to pray for the world meeting and for the upcoming senate. How will be a holy father be monitoring the event in philadelphia throughout the week them and how will he be emphasizing family life . Thank you. Father Federico Lombardi he is surely very interest did. As you know, the first decision of this visit to the united world was due to the families day in philadelphia before the invitation of congress, before the invitation of the United Nations. It is surely very important for him. See theave to participation of the pope to world family day in the context family. It will begin exactly one week after the conclusion of the the encounteray with the family this morning in wassantiago, cuba. Precisely fored the United States. Think the speech that the pope has given this morning in santiago is really very wonderful and interesting. You have to take it as a document for the meeting in philadelphia. I think the pope is informed of what happens, and will follow also in these days, the first days of the meeting. , thee will come to the end contribution with all his heart. Obviously. Veryhis morning, it was impressive. It is a way to express the importance of the family as a formation of humanity. In many concrete aspects. Ilcil you to read the text because it is fantastic. Good afternoon. [speaking spanish] my question is, the vatican, before arriving to havana there were arrests and everything. Are you aware of this oppression in cuba . I think there is information that arrived to the vatican, and the pope. He follows what is happening. There is information in this sense. There was also information of 3000 or more people that were days as a sign of goodwill, in the preparation of this visit. I think there were these ambiguous signs. But yes, there is awareness of the problems. , the pope has traveled to cuba and has given an important contribution to help the church to be alive in a difficult situation, and to encourage it to be contribution for the renewal of society. Really an is totitution that can help move forward, to change and in the creativity direction of the development of a society. Dialogue andd reconciliation. If you listen really well to the speech of the pope in cuba, you will find several clear references to these encouragements of the pope to go forward in this direction. Aware that heways has a specific responsibility that is more religious and not directly political. That fromesses always their faith, everyone has to develop his responsibilities, and his creativity to contribute to the wellbeing of society. Sense, i think the pope has given contribution. I think that we are also witnessed that something is happening here with the renewal of contacts between cuba and the United States. Otherwise we would not have this new element. Pope decided to have this trip from cuba to the United States and to stress the situation and encourage progress. Is angela, i am from spain, and my question is for father lombardi. You mentioned before that the pope came in a humble attitude to receive. What is he expecting to receive from america . We will listen to what the pope says. I am not a prophet. [laughter] i am always encouraging to listen. Expresshe will ofreciation for the history the american nation and the American Church. Expressese appreciation, it means that he receives anhurch exchange of gifts from the American People that are grateful. Anthis sense, there is impressive work of charity and education. I think you would know better aspects. Ese positive this is surely a contribution for the problem of the world of , and of the life of the church. I think the question we have to address is one of responsibility. In this land there is a great power of intelligence, of science, of the economy. Many aspects of creativity in enterprises. If this is put to the service of the common good, the service of or inople that are poor, difficult situations, in the appeals tothe pope can be put here to the service of the common good of mankind. Hi, this is for father lombardi. Know if we are going to see at some point the end of the u. S. Economic embargo on cuba. And what will be the main topics of conversation he will have with president obama tomorrow . Rev. Lombardi as i have said, i am not a prophet. I cannot anticipate what will happen or what the pope has to say about the problem of the embargo. Has a reference that he will not address specifically this point in his speech. That does not mean he does not progress of the renewal of the relations, but not concretely the embargo. O, because there are now talian] yes, there contactscts, bilateral to solve problems. The pope does not take a particular concrete policy or solution. But hehe dialogue, encourages always the processes together. As i havealled, recalled many times, that the position of the Catholic Church about the popes question of embargo is clear. It is criticized clearly as a choice of suffering for the people. This was already said by the predecessor of pope francis. It is a position of the church. That does not mean he will address that specifically in the next days. , i would like to go back to the question of to, ism, father lumbar father lombardi, thank you for your answer before. Stuck in ahad been position that was not considered by many to be in favor of , but i wonder what the American Church thinks of those opinions. We have read several opinions that we are worried about defining capitalism as the devil or a culture of idols. That 80 million american catholics would think the same thing, and i would also like to hear from Cardinal Dinardo what his position or of the American Bishops are of some positions that have been answered extreme. Considered extreme. Rev. Lombardi my commentary is that the sense of the briefing is not to discuss the content of the doctrine in particular, this is to give you information in a short time about what will happen. These questions are obviously addressed in the content of the speech, and the document of the pope. You can read and