Barack Obama lavishes praise on Pope Francis as he thanks him for support

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President thanks Catholic pontiff for 'invaluable support of our new beginning with the Cuban people'
Iran nuclear deal gets subtle nod as Obama acknowledges Pope's 'call for nations to resist the sirens of war and resolve disputes through diplomacy'
Obama takes full advantage, merging Catholic teaching with his policy embrace of 'the immigrant who leaves home in search of a better life'
Pope is expected Thursday to lecture Congress on climate change, immigration, income inequality and other issues
Love-fest on global warming as Obama thanks Francis for message 'to protect our planet' and Pope says 'climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation'

By David Martosko, US Political Editor and Francesca Chambers, White House Correspondent For Dailymail.com

Published: 08:33 EST, 23 September 2015 | Updated: 18:31 EST, 23 September 2015

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President Barack Obama praised Pope Francis on Wednesday for steering the world's Catholics on questions of war, poverty and environmental protection, and pointedly thanked him for interjecting himself into domestic American debates, including the United States' groundbreaking relationship with Cuba.

'You remind us of the costs of war, particularly on the powerless and defenseless, and urge us toward the imperative of peace,' Obama told the pontiff on his first visit to the United States.

The president lavished praise on Francis for setting out a social agenda that syncs neatly with his own policy on accepting Syrian refugees and relaxing America's immigration policy for millions of people in the country illegally.

'You remind us that "the Lord's most powerful message" is mercy,' Obama said. 'That means welcoming the stranger with empathy and a truly open heart – from the refugee who flees war torn lands, to the immigrant who leaves home in search of a better life.'

Francis introduced himself to Americans on the podium as 'the son of an immigrant family.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEOS

HISTORIC: President Barack Obama used his greeting speech on Wednesday to praise Pope Francis for embracing political positions that line up with his own global and domestic agendas

RUFFLES AND FLOURISHES: The Pope and the president witnessed a rare 'musical troop in review' as part of the ceremony welcoming the Catholic leader to the United States

WINDS OF CHANGE: Obama and Francis held a mutual-admiration-society meeting on the South Lawn of the White House, praising each other for their positions on global warming

WELCOME: The President and First Lady Michelle Obama are returning the Pope's hospitality - he hosted them at the Vatican last March

Obama's message, though, was overtly political.

'Holy Father, we are grateful for your invaluable support of our new beginning with the Cuban people, which holds out the promise of better relations between our countries, greater cooperation across our hemisphere, and a better life for the Cuban people.'

MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY: The two leaders lavished praise on each other for making global warming a major focus of the world's political attention

Aside from gay marriage, contraception mandates and abortion, hot-button social issues where the Vatican splits sharply with the White House, much of Francis' own agenda is a carbon copy of what Obama brought to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2009.

In addition to a welcome address of his own at the White House, the Pope is expected Thursday to lecture Congress on climate change, immigration, income inequality and other issues that will make him an accidental proxy for the Oval Office.

Previewing his remarks today, Francis said, his 'hope, as a brother of this country, [is] to offer words of encouragement to those called to guide the nation’s political future in fidelity to its founding principles.'

Francis' political positions have reinvigorated the social-justice wing of the Catholic Church worldwide, and the U.S. – where a bruising Democratic Party primary is underway – is no exception.

His schedule called for a private meeting with Obama in the Oval Office where no cameras or reporters will be present, and the White House declined to go into detail about their private conversation.

'You remind us that we have a sacred obligation to protect our planet – God’s magnificent gift to us,' Obama said Wednesday.

'We support your call to all world leaders to support the communities most vulnerable to a changing climate and to come together to preserve our precious world for future generations.'

The Pope responded by thanking Obama for 'proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution, accepting the urgency.'

'It seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation,' he said.

'We still have the time to make the change needed,' he said, arguing in slow and careful English for 'the responsible care of our common home.'

WHEN BARACK MET FRANCIS: THE PRESIDENT'S COMPLETE REMARKS

'Good morning! What a beautiful day the Lord has made! Holy Father, on behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House. I should explain that our backyard is not typically this crowded – but the size and spirit of today’s gathering is just a small reflection of the deep devotion of some 70 million American Catholics. It reflects as well the way your message of love and hope has inspired so many people, across our nation and around the world. So on behalf of the American people, it is my great honor and privilege to welcome you to the United States of America.

'Today, we mark many firsts. Your Holiness, you have been celebrated as the first Pope from the Americas. This is your first visit to the United States. And you are also the first pontiff to share an Encyclical through a Twitter account.

'Holy Father, your visit not only allows us, in some small way, to reciprocate the extraordinary hospitality you extended to me at the Vatican last year. It also reveals how much all Americans, from every background and of every faith, value the role that the Catholic Church plays in strengthening America. From my time working in impoverished neighborhoods with the Catholic Church in Chicago, to my travels as president, I’ve seen firsthand how, every day, Catholic communities, priests, nuns, and laity are feeding the hungry, healing the sick, sheltering the homeless, educateing our children, and fortifying the faith that sustains so many.

'What is true in America is true around the world. From the busy streets of Buenos Aires to remote villages in Kenya, Catholic organizations serve the poor, minister to prisoners, build schools, build homes, operate orphanages and hospitals. And just as the Church has stood with those struggling to break the chains of poverty, the Church so often has given voice and hope to those seeking to break the chains of violence and oppression.

'And yet I believe the excitement around your visit, Holy Father, must be attributed not only to your role as pope, but to your unique qualities as a person. In your humility, your embrace of simplicity, and the gentleness of your words and the generosity of your spirit, we see a living example of Jesus' teachings, a leader whose moral authority comes not just through words but also through deeds.

'You call on all of us, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, to put the "least of these" at the center of our concern. You remind us that in the eyes of God our measure as individuals, and our measure as a society, is not determined by wealth or power or station or celebrity, but by how well we hew to Scripture's call 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 – because we are all made in the image of God.

'You remind us that "the Lord's most powerful message" is mercy. That means welcoming the stranger with empathy and a truly open heart – from the refugee who flees war-torn lands, to the immigrant who leaves home in search of a better life. It means showing compassion and love for the marginalized and the outcast, those who have suffered, and those who cause suffering and seek redemption.

'You remind us of the costs of war, particularly on the powerless and defenseless, and urge us toward the imperative of peace. Holy Father, we are grateful for your invaluable support of our new beginning with the Cuban people, which holds out the promise of better relations between our countries, greater cooperation across our hemisphere, and a better life for the Cuban people. We thank you for your passionate voice against the deadly conflicts that ravage the lives of so many men, women, and children, and your call for nations to resist the sirens of war and resolve disputes through diplomacy.

'You remind us that people are only truly free when they can practice their faith freely. Here in the United States, we cherish religious liberty, but around the world at this very moment, children of God, including Christians, are targeted and even killed because of their faith. Believers are prevented from gathering at their places of worship. The faithful are imprisoned and churches are destroyed. So we stand with you in defense of religious freedom and interfaith dialogue, knowing that people everywhere must be able to live out their faith free from fear and free from intimidation.

'And, Holy Father, you remind us that we have a sacred obligation to protect our planet – God’s magnificent gift to us. We support your call to all world leaders to support the communities most vulnerable to a changing climate and to come together to preserve our precious world for future generations.

'Your Holiness, in your words and deeds, you set a profound moral example. And in these gentle but firm reminders of our obligations to God and to one another, you are shaking us out of complacency. All of us may, at times, experience discomfort when we contemplate the distance between how we lead our daily lives and what we know to be true, what we know to be right. But I believe such discomfort is a blessing, for it points to something better. You shake our conscience from slumber; you call on us to rejoice in Good News, and give us confidence that we can come together, in humility and service, and pursue a world that is more loving, more just, and more free. Here at home and around the world, may our generation heed your call to "never remain on the sidelines of this march of living hope!"

'For that great gift of hope, Holy Father, we thank you, and welcome you, with joy and gratitude, to the United States of America.'

SPECIAL MOMENT: The White House was the scene of anticipation as Francis made his way to the official reception in his honor and the Obamas exited the presidential mansion for the ceremony

BIG CATHOLIC: Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, both Roman Catholics, awaited the Pope's arrival on the South Lawn of the White House along with Ethel Kennedy and Secretary of State John Kerry

Obama greeted Pope Francis on the South Lawn of the White House at a reception that became the subject of controversy days before it occurred.

His administration invited outspoken Catholic gay rights and abortion activists to Washington for the occasion, irking the Vatican and drawing howls of protests from traditional leaders in the Church who saw it as a hostile gesture to conservative believers.

The White House said 11,000 people attended the ceremony, packing the South Lawn for a program that included pomp and circumstance beyond what more ordinary heads of state experience.

Francis is the first pope from the Americas and the third pontiff to visit the White House.

After his 40-minute meeting with Obama, he stuck around longer than expected to meet Catholics on the president's administration, the White House said, making him late to his next activity.

The pope is on a six-day swing through the United States with stops in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York.

'We thank you for your passionate voice against the deadly conflicts that ravage the lives of so many men, women, and children; and your call for nations to resist the sirens of war and resolve disputes through diplomacy,' Obama told him.

POLITICAL IDENTITY: Francis introduced himself to Americans on the podium as 'the son of an immigrant family,' while praising the Obama administration for some of its progressive policies

SEA OF HUMANITY: 11,000 people crowded onto the South Lawn of the White House – not including administration staff – to see Pope Francis

Pope Francis addressed Americans on the front lawn of the White House on Wednesday, following hsi welcome to the US (pictured) by President Obama and his family on Tuesday

PAPAL GREETING: POPE FRANCIS' SPEECH AT THE WHITE HOUSE

'Mr. President, I am deeply grateful for your welcome in the name of all Americans. As the son of an immigrant family, I am happy to be a guest in this country, which was largely built by such families. I look forward to these days of encounter and dialogue, in which I hope to listen to, and share, many of the hopes and dreams of the American people.

'During my visit I will have the honor of addressing Congress, where I hope, as a brother of this country, to offer words of encouragement to those called to guide the nation’s political future in fidelity to its founding principles. I will also travel to Philadelphia for the Eighth World Meeting of Families, to celebrate and support the institutions of marriage and the family at this, a critical moment in the history of our civilization.

'Mr. President, together with their fellow citizens, American Catholics are committed to building a society which is truly tolerant and inclusive, to safeguarding the rights of individuals and communities, and to rejecting every form of unjust discrimination. With countless other people of good will, they are likewise concerned that efforts to build a just and wisely ordered society respect their deepest concerns and their right to religious liberty. That freedom remains one of America’s most precious possessions. And, as my brothers, the United States Bishops, have reminded us, all are called to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens, to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it.

'Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our “common home”, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about “a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change” (Laudato Si’, 13). Such change demands on our part a serious and responsible recognition not only of the kind of world we may be leaving to our children, but also to the millions of people living under a system which has overlooked them. Our common home has been part of this group of the excluded which cries out to heaven and which today powerfully strikes our homes, our cities and our societies. To use a telling phrase of the Reverend Martin Luther King, we can say that we have defaulted on a promissory note and now is the time to honor it.

'We know by faith that "the Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home." As Christians inspired by this certainty, we wish to commit ourselves to the conscious and responsible care of our common home. The efforts which were recently made to mend broken relationships and to open new doors to cooperation within our human family represent positive steps along the path of reconciliation, justice and freedom. I would like all men and women of good will in this great nation to support the efforts of the international community to protect the vulnerable in our world and to stimulate integral and inclusive models of development, so that our brothers and sisters everywhere may know the blessings of peace and prosperity which God wills for all his children.

'Mr. President, once again I thank you for your welcome, and I look forward to these days in your country. God bless America!'

The Argentine pontiff is known as the 'slum pope' for ministering to the downtrodden in his native Buenos Aires.

During a flight on Tuesday from Havana, Cuba to Washington, Francis insisted his conservative critics are wrong to condemn him as a communist just because he has publicly opposed supply-side economics.

'I am certain that I have never said anything beyond what is in the social doctrine of the church,' he said, adding that his writings have been misinterpreted to make him appear 'a little bit more left-leaning.'

The White House said Wednesday afternoon, after the festivities had ended that the goal of the Pope's visit and his meeting with Obama wsa 'not to advance anyone's political agenda'

'I think that listening to the pope's comments, it was clear that he was speaking wiath a passion and a conviction about the need to act on climate issues that was deeply rooted in his faith,' White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said.

He was not attempting to 'deliver a political message, he was speaking from the heart, and with a moral conviction that I think will resonate with people all around the world,' Earnest added.

The White House said direct lines of comparison between the president and the Pope's messages today, particularly on the topic of immigration, weren't pre-planned.

'I think the credit for that goes to the Pope though, I think the pope made a concerted effort to speak inclusively,' Earnest said.

That shouldn't be surprising to anyone who has listened to him speak on the last year and a half or so, he noted.

He acknowledged that the Vatican and the White House had some conversations about the content of the respective speeches, but the president did not have the opportunity to review the Pope's remarks before he gave them.

The Pope joined the U.S. president in the Oval Office after the public ceremony on the South Lawn. Reporters were allowed into the meeting for roughly a minute to snap a few photos, then ushered out

A day before the visit, he told reporters that many employees of the administration were greatly anticipating Francis' visit because they believe they share his vision and goals, and are 'animated by the same kinds of values that animate the Pope.'

'And I think that's why the opportunity to have Pope Francis, somebody who shares those values, here in this building tomorrow, makes for a really special day.'

Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes held a conference call with reporters and drew their attention to 'issues that are going to define our future. And the Pope, I think, is providing an incredible sense of motivation that they can and must be addressed.'

'The Pope's voice could not be more timely and important,' he said.

Invited guests to the event, many of whom had connections to the Obama administration or were attending law school, denied that the Pope was playing politics, saying they saw his stances as 'moral' ones, not 'political' ones.

'I think he speaks for the greater good of the people and the greater good of humanity,' Jaymie Roybal, a New Mexico native and law student working in D.C. this semester, said.

Royal, who is Catholic, said Francis has 'brought a new energy back to the church that's been missing for a long time and making people feel accepted and cared for, and I think he's an incredible embodiment of the values of our faith.'

Some acknowledged a political bent to the Pope's agenda, however, and embraced it.

'He has a say just as anybody else,' said Jacob Kearney, a law student, from Helena, Montana,

He described the Pope as a 'political figure' and said, 'For my generation, it's really interesting seeing him expand the view of who is accepted in the church, something that's accepted a lot more in my generation than necessarily, the more conservative older generation.'

POPE IN AMERICA: FRANCIS'S ITINERARY ON HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE UNITED STATES

Pope Francis, who has never been to the United States before, will arrive from Cuba at Andrews Air Force Base, near Washington D.C. on Tuesday, September 22.

WEDNESDAY: WASHINGTON D.C.

9:15am: Welcome ceremony and meeting with President Obama at the White House

11am: Papal Parade along the Ellipse and the National Mall (time approximate)11.30am: Midday Prayer with the bishops of the United States, St. Matthew's Cathedral

4:15pm: Mass of Canonization of Junipero Serra, Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

THURSDAY: WASHINGTON D.C. AND NEW YORK

9:20am: Address to Joint Meeting of the United States Congress

11:15am: Visit to St. Patrick in the City and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington

4pm: Depart from Joint Base Andrews

5pm: Arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport

6:45pm: Evening Prayer (Vespers) at St. Patrick's Cathedral

FRIDAY: NEW YORK

8:30am: Visit to the United Nations and address to the United Nations General Assembly

11:30am: Multi-religious service at 9/11 Memorial and Museum, World Trade Center

4pm: Visit to Our Lady Queen of Angels School, East Harlem

5pm: Procession through Central Park (time approximate)

6pm: Mass at Madison Square Garden

A worker walks through rows of chairs being set up in preparation of the Pope Francis visit at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington

SATURDAY: NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA

8:40am: Departure from John F. Kennedy International Airport

9:30am: Arrival at Atlantic Aviation, Philadelphia

10:30am: Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia

4:45pm: Visit to Independence Mall

7:30pm: Visit to the Festival of Families Benjamin Franklin Parkway

SUNDAY: PHILADELPHIA

9:15am: Meeting with bishops at St. Martin's Chapel, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary

11am: Visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility

4pm: Mass for the conclusion of the World Meeting of Families, Benjamin Franklin Parkway

7pm: Visit with organizers, volunteers and benefactors of the World Meeting of Families, Atlantic Aviation

8pm: Departure for Rom