Pope Francis urged world leaders on Friday to respond to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic by fundamentally changing “the way we organize our …
Pope Francis urged world leaders on Friday to respond to climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic by fundamentally changing “the way we organize our societies,” but there was little word from the White House on the substance of the pontiff’s 90-minute private meeting with President Biden. The White House press pool, in fact, excoriated the White House for cutting off access to the meeting after the Vatican cut off a live broadcast of the summit. Biden offered few details afterward, telling media that Francis told him he should keep receiving communion and they didn’t talk about abortion. “We just talked about the fact that he was happy I’m a good Catholic,” Biden said. “And I should keep receiving communion.” Biden also said he gave the pope a “challenge coin” that presidents traditionally give to “warriors and leaders,” telling Francis, “You are the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met, and I’d like to be able to give you a coin.” On Friday, Francis, in an audio message broadcast by the BBC in preparation for the launch of the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow on Sunday, said “climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have exposed our deep vulnerability and raised numerous doubts and concerns about our economic systems and the way we organize our societies.” He urged world leaders to make “radical decisions that are not always easy” and put plans “rapidly into action, to rethink the future of the world, our common home, and to reassess our common purpose.
