Pope will address Congress in September It will be the first time the head of the Roman Catholic Church has addressed a joint session.

Pope Francis will address a joint session of Congress on Sept. 24, the first time the head of the Roman Catholic Church will have addressed the body.

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), himself a Catholic, made the announcement Thursday morning.


“That day, His Holiness will be the first pope in our history to address a joint session of Congress,” Boehner said at his weekly news conference. “We’re humbled that the Holy Father has accepted our invitation and certainly look forward to receiving his message on behalf of the American people.”

The news got a quick bipartisan welcome Thursday — unlike the political rancor stirred by next month’s scheduled joint address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“We are honored and overjoyed that Pope Francis, the first pontiff born in the Americas, has accepted our invitation to address a Joint Meeting of Congress during his upcoming visit to the United States,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said of the Argentinian-born pope. She added, “We are eager to welcome His Holiness to the U.S. Capitol and we look forward to hearing his call to live our values, to protect the poor and the needy, and to promote peace.”

“I am very much looking forward to welcoming Pope Francis to the United States later this year,” President Barack Obama said at a prayer breakfast Thursday.

Boehner’s office says it did not coordinate with the White House when the speaker invited the pope last year. It told the administration of the visit only this morning — which is also when Boehner told reporters.

But in terms of protocol, the Netanyahu visit presented a much different situation given that Boehner had given the administration no advanced notice that he was inviting the Israeli leader to come to the U.S. and speak to Congress. In contrast, the Vatican confirmed last fall that Pope Francis will visit the U.S. in September, and he said last month that his swing would include a stop in Washington.

“Certainly the president and the team here was aware of the pope’s intent to travel to the United States, intent to spend some time in Washington, D.C.,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Thursday.

Earnest said he anticipates Vice President Joe Biden will attend the pope’s speech. But when asked if he could say the same about Netanyahu’s address, Earnest he said he could not — Biden’s schedule for March is still in up the air.

Edward-Isaac Dovere contributed to this report.