so-called pope mobile as he makes his way around for that parade. thousands have been lined up since early this morning to get a glimpse of the pope. msnbc's casey hunt joins me along the route there. let's talk numbers here and how people were able to get these spots. in many cities there was a lottery in new york, other locations you had to have a diocese give you tickets. tell me more about these people here. >> reporter: well, tamron, this is the only chance that washingtonians have the chance to see the pope without a ticket, without any kind of extra admission. this is a public open event. all they had to do was line up, walk through a set of magnetometers that are on either side of me. line up overnight some of them did to get some of these coveted key spots along this parade route. down 17th street after he comes out of the white house, down constitution avenue, then back up 15th street. that's it. just a short period of time. many people who are lined up along these barriers are hoping that they're going to get to see the people's pope. they hope that he's going to step out of that pope mobile, maybe approach then in the crowd. it really is a cross section of people from this region. there's an enormous number of latinos who are here from countries across latin and south america. we've seen people from mexico, from el salvador, from the pope's native argentina, all chanting in some cases in spanish, "papa francisco," many of them young, old, really running the gamut of people here all very much excited to see him. i think we were talking a little bit earlier as well, you could hear the pope's address here along constitution avenue. they were playing it on speakers. when he talked about many from an immigrant family, you heard a cheer go up from this crowd. i think the pope's message of inclusion is one that's really resonated. >> absolutely. you've been out there all morning long. you've had a chance to talk to people. their expectations. obviously we see a light in their faces when the pope is able to shake a hand. but beyond a physical opportunity to have him touch your cheek or even hug you, what are their personal expectations? >> reporter: when you that uk to people here, tamron, i think that there is just this real sense of being able to be part of a moment, this sort of underlying joy that people seem to radiate just being here. this is really -- there is definitely a sense -- i spent a lot of time at campaign rallies usually on the road with people who are plenty excited to see a celebrity or the candidate that they want to support. and this is just completely different than that. i mean the energy that's here is one that's, frankly, creating bonds among people in the crowd. that's something that i think you can really sense when you walk through here. people -- there's a sense that they're all in it together and that somehow this pope is knitting them together and giving them an opportunity to be part of something that's bigger than they are. >> we both live in two worlds, cover politics and we cover just the journey of people as journalists. here with the politics of it, to your point, you've been out on the campaign trail and you've encountered a lot of the good and bad of democracy, quite honestly. do you see the blending there with people who also are blending this visit of the pope from a spiritual aspect to the very nature of that town an why it is there, the politics? >> reporter: well, tamron, it is really a dramatic shift what and how we are talking about religion and faith and public life. if you think about the conversation around donald trump and wrn and the president's faith and whether or not a muslim should be elected president of the united states. then you think about how we approach pope francis. this is not a catholic president. we've still only had one catholic president in u.s. history. let's not forget there was a period of time when, frankly, catholics had to explain why they could serve as president of the united states. those aren't questions that we tend to ask anymore. i think you saw in the rose garden today a reflection of the changing nature of that conversation. i will say the pope was in many ways marketedly political in the brief address that he did give in english touching on climate change, for example, touching on inequality and how development should be something that's spread all kroi all the people of the world. that does flip the script a little bit. he also did talk about the family. so let's not forget that. but in many ways it is usually democrats who have been concerned about a pope's visit. he's often been someone who they've viewed to be on the republican side in the long running american culture wars. this pope really has flipped that script around. instead he's talking about these issues like climate change. he's backed the iran deal. things along those lines. that's put him in some ways at odds with republicans here. i've seen a couple republicans on the campaign trail have to negotiate that a little bit uncomfortably. but i will say, tamron, that being said, he still transcends politics in many ways especially when you talk to the catholic republicans who are running, like jeb bush. he'll say the way this pope is talking is really transformational. bush will be in the crowd of the mass the pope will be giving later today. >> thank you very much. later this afternoon pope francis will hold a mass of canonization. let's head over to anne thompson at the basilica of the national shrine where crowds are already gathered there. this is referred to as america's catholic church here and what will again play out there. we've talked about -- it's interesting over the course of yesterday when he landed, the historic visit, to now, this historic meeting with president obama and then again another history making ecase where you are standing. >> reporter: absolute sli, tamron. this is going to be the first time a saint has been canonized on american soil. and it will happen this afternoon at 4:00 here on the east side of the basilica. 25,000 people are expected to attend this mass that pope francis will celebrate, including one of the republican candidates for president, jeb bush and his wife are expected to be here for that mass. now the saint that will be canonized is a priest whose name was junipero serra. he was a spanish missionary who worked in california in the late 1700s and he established missions all along the coast of california. some nine missions that became california's major cities today. the first one was san diego. he is a figure not without controversy though. he is revered by some, particularly the franciscans, for his work in establishing those missions, but native americans have asked pope francis not to canonize father serro because they say he mistreated native americans during that time, that he led -- that he helped the spanish soldiers basically abuse native americans during that period of time and in fact spanish soldiers are said to be responsible for diseases that killed about half the native american population. the vatican has not responded to those claims directly. what they say is that father serro is being canonized because he was a great evangelizer, he would go out and spread the word of god. he got out of the church and went to talk to the people, exactly what we see pope francis doing here and around the world in his short 2 1/2-year papacy. >> we should also point out -- you know this better than anyone, ann -- it was in south america that the pope asked for forgiveness of the church for crimes committed against indigenous people. there has been an acknowledgement of the controversy. >> absolutely. and i think one of the things that personally i'll be listening for today when the pope gives his homily is, is he going to make that a similar kind of apology to native americans about the actions of the spanish army during that time. not that the pope is responsible for what the spanish army did three centuries ago, but just an acknowledgement of that to say, look, not everything that happened there was good and we -- we apologize for that. but you're absolutely right. and it was something -- those words that he spoke in south america were very, very powerful and well received by the indigenous people there. >> anne, thank you very much. we have live pictures of st. matthew's cathedral in march. 300 to 350 wish slbishops are o. father, i'd like to start off our conversation with some of the remarks from the pope this morning where he mentioned martin luther king jr. let me play this and get your reaction. >> the 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. >> father, your thoughts on the pope choosing to quote martin luther king jr. >> yeah, it was quite an interesting approach to the issue of poverty and racism, i think. i was struck by how everything he said this morning at the white house is rooted in deep catholic social teaching. everything he said. and he drew on that in a way that when john paul ii said catholic social teaching is not left or right, it addresses the whole spectrum of the political world in a sense of both democrats and republicans in the united states. i think he had an example this morning in the white house of that in itself. when you're talking about racism or poverty, the idea that you need to address it is very clear from catholic social teaching. but how you address it is another question. what are the policies that you address poverty? how do you address poverty? that's left up to the politicians to decide on the policy. but the idea of making it a priority, the poor, is very essential to catholic social thought. >> it's interesting you point out policy. i should note that you are an expert on immigration and refugee policy. you serve as national director of the jesuit refugee service. with that said, we heard the pope mention being a son of immigrants and this country being built by many grant families and you heard that roar there. while there may not be specifics in policy in this meeting with president obama to your point, what do you believe would be reasonable to think that the pope would pose to the president? would he say something similar as he presented to parishes in europe in adopting or taking in a family from syria? >> well, i think he's going to call for generosity on the part of the american government in terms of receiving syrians who are clearly refugees and need help and appeal to international law and the process by which we bring refugees in to the united states legally. i think that's part of his conversation. i think he's going to stress though that the most important part of dealing with immigration is that you're fair and you treat the people with dignity and whatever your policies are, they are good policies in the sense they treat trt person as a human being and not as a number or cattle or whatever that we try to really help them as human persons. no matter what our policy is. >> i should mention as well you'll be at the u.n. general assembly. and when you -- if we can fast forward to how the pope might address the general assembly versus this one-on-one conversation with president obama essentially a follow-up to their meeting in 2014. obviously you have a huge group in new york. this one-on-one there. but do you believe this pope would have a more aggressive tone in one conversation versus the other, a more specific tone in one versus the other. what are the key differences just alone. tone and ideas that we might hear from the pope? >> well, i think in new york at the u.n., the issue of the ecological environmental question is very rel havenevant the poverty question. the think the idea that the world needs to look at more seriously how they can collaborate on dealing with the environment is rooted in the judeo christian tradition that appeals to many, many leaders i think around the world. and i think you can hear him trying to press that at the u.n. also the issue of poverty i think and refugees i think will also come up as a major issue that the governments of the world need to address. i doubt he'll avoid that issue around the massive migration crisis we're facing from the middle east is going to be on his mind very much as he addresses all these leaders. we'll see if he has specifics about what he wants them to do, but in general the idea is to get them to prioritize dealing with these problems. i think that's the most important point. >> this morning on the "today" show, vatican communications advisor was quoted as saying this -- the pope is suspicious of wall street. he likes main street. you and i spoke earlier this week and you wanted to see maybe a revision. you can correct me if i'm using the wrong description here -- of the pope's message as it relates to the middle class. obviously a major portion of the united states and the backbone of the united states. >> well, i'd like to see -- i think it needs to be humanized. that people who are in financial services and working in that area of the united states are capable of contributing to the reduction of poverty and i think that needs to be encouraged and brought to the surface. not simply a critique. i think he's perfectly capable of doing that and i think it's possible that could be one of the things he brings back to rome from the united states. >> thank you so much for your time. we just got word the meeting between president obama and pope francis has concluded. we should see the pope very soon now to start this much anticipated parade. by the way, next hour, pope francis is scheduled to arrive at st. matthew's cathedral, that's home of the washington, d.c. archdiocese. the pope will address the nation's bishops pat a prayer servi. nbc's kelly o'donnell is there. kelly, as i mentioned, the meeting now concluded. you will likely hear the roars where you are and that will be your cue that he's walked out. nevertheless we expect this meeting with some 300 bishops. >> reporter: yes, this is sort of an extraordinary day where the street behind us which is normally a bustling part of washington is closed off to traffic. this is not one of the public events for the holy father, but we saw several bus loads of bishops from around the country arrive a short time ago. they are already inside, along with 800 guests. some are employees of various diocese around the country. some are parishioners here at the mother church of the archdiocese of washington. tamron, this place is also interesting in the life of american catholicism because president kennedy, the only catholic president, had his funeral service here. and this was also the place where one -- >> kelly, apologize for interrupting you, you can't see from my vantage point here but we're now seeing a glimpse of the pope mobile. the pope moving rather quickly to the vehicle to start the parade, likely knowing that the tens of thousands are there waiting to get a glimpse. i should point out, this is the only route in which people did not have to obtain a ticket through other means, a lottery for example here in new york city. they just had to, as kasie hunt pointed out, go through the metal detectors, and then have their opportunity to get a glimpse of the pope here. he's leaving the white house, 17th street, then to constitution, to 15th. we are watching now the first glimpse from the fiat that everyone has been talking about since yesterday evening to what we affectionately refer to the pope mobile. you see it is open there. we've seen images in the past in south america someone getting close enough to hand the pope a pizza. we've seen other individuals presenting their children to be blessed. kasie hunt, you can hear the roar. you now know he's left his private meeting and he is within their eyesight. >> reporter: yes, tamron. we've heard up until now almost anticipatory quiet. while there had been lots of chanting and singing throughout the many hours that we people have been waiting on the streets in washington. they had gotten a little bit more subdued, calm just waiting for this to begin. but now you can hear the cheers starting to spread. now where we are is closer to the end of the parade route than to the beginning so he's going to come down 17th street, then across. i think they're looking straight down constitution avenue. you have people on either side of the road. we're going to have to see of course if you're on the wrong side when the pope comes by exactly how that works. they of course have security officers stationed -- >> hang on, kasie. we are seeing our first baby being taken out and blessed by this pope. the security detail led by the secret service very aware that he wants that connection. kathleen, it took a grand total -- i'm sorry if i lifted my voice, but that is -- there he is. that is why he is special. >> reporter: yes. yes. the people's pope. he is never happier than when he is with the people. and, wow. it didn't take long. >> it did not. i think the secret service or vatican detail who handed the people weren't as ecstatic as i was in the reaction. knowing that this is part of why -- >> these are the moments from the visit that people will remember. this is what makes people feel so close to him. his desire to be close to people. >> and look how he's leaning as far as he can possibly get to the door of that jeep that's now the pope mobile. and how he's leaning in. >> yeah. tamron, he's almost going to fall out. but it should also be pointed out the difference of what it means to be security under this papacy. the man you just saw who -- he's in charge of the vatican for the security, his name's dr. gianni. his job used to make sure people didn't get anywhere near the pope. now part of his detail is looking for the cute baby to pick up and bring over to the pope. >> that's pressure. any baby. any baby is cute. we're also seeing him grab leaflets, things that people are handing to him. can you explain even that part of this? >> yeah. this is again all of the different -- now we just saw the pope both point at somebody, give the thumbs up, and bless. this is just something completely different than we'd seen. of course other popes have had the pope mobile and would always be waving but he said very specifically from his first big event in south america, rio de janeiro, he spoke to dr. gianni. you could see behind his scenes, he pointed at them, i want the people to come to me, i want to be close to the people. seconds later he had a big splilen o his face. this is the way he wants to run his church and he's even pointed out he doesn't want to be in a bubble both physically at the vatican or in a pope mobile. he needs to be with the people. it is energizing to him. so dr. gianni, just grabbed something else. this is now part of his job -- not just protection but grabbing flowers. >> the back of that jeep will be filled to the top with flowers and pamphlets and notes of love for this pope. kathleen, we talk about the inspiration and the connection and this pope saying i want to be with the people, how has that energized cardinals, bishops, those who are there every day with their parishioners? >> i think they're learning from him. it's interesting, he's on his way to address them. we know from the past that he doesn't mince words in criticizing leaders and telling them that he wants them, too, to be as close to the people, to go out to the peripheries as much as they can. i think that the u.s. hierarchy has been inspired by that. i am very curie us to hear what he is going to say to this emin st. matthew's. i think that they're watching this. they see. i think they are becoming closer, trying to emphasize that closeness to the people. >> he is aware, to kasie hunt's point, one side of the street, they are in a better position than most. but they're not along that line. he's aware, again, of each direction and what it means even if it is just a glance versus the big moment when your child is blessed by the pope. >> he focuses on people but he focuses on that eye contact. when it comes to politicians, you've heard before saying i've met so and so and it was if i was the only person in the room. that's a quality pope francis has even from a distance to be able to look you in the eyes, to point at you, now at this distance they will not be able to throw soccer jerseys as we've seen in many other parts of the world. nor will we be seeing any mate being drunk. on many occasions, mate, a traditional drir aal drink, he' and drink something. >> he was just out to get eyewear. ep sa he said i'm not getting the discount. he's even remarked about not wearing the traditional red shoes. he's aware of every little detail. >> just because he is aware of the power of the symbol. but that doesn't mean it is not authentic. people sense that he really means what he says. he's not doing it for the show, he's doing it because he's practicing what he's preaching. >> another child now being taken over to pope francis. he's telling the detail bring her. i think this child got over the barricade and she was walking back to her family. >> oh, my goodness. she will remember it. and then hands him what looks like a t-shirt. and he's talking to her. and now she goes back for the refrt of her life, for generations, will remember this moment in time. >> it is quite remarkable. and i don't like to get into compare and contrast because we want to live in the moment that is now. however, you think about john paul ii, the response that children had to him and the contrast of benedict during his visit. i was sitting in this very same studio when he visited. all men appreciated by the believers, but a different connection. >> a different connection, tamron, in part because they're from different parts of the world as well. i think pope benedict xvi would be the first to acknowledge, yes, a german professor, as he was, is not going to exude the same warmth -- i apologize to any german professors listening -- but may not exude the same warmth as a man who used to do the tango, a bons eb in a bar, as pope francis. this is where benedict had to work real hard to connect. and it should be pointed out he tried so hard when he came to america in 2008 and the crowds did love him. but you saw, he was working at it. whereas you see with pope francis, he's like -- >> another baby now. this one with a binky in its mouth. it is hard i think for many not to become infected with the enthusiasm and love that they feel this pope shares but there are real topics of controversy. right now, 77% of american catholics say the pope's teachings match up with their beliefs. 44% say he's made them feel closer to the church. the doctrine has not changed. the messenger is delivering the message of the bible. that has not changed. but there is, to your point, this authenticity. even with the language barriers. >> yes. doctrine has not changed and will not change. but what is changing is attitude, what is changing is emphasis and pope francis is asking us what is tradition that can be changed and what -- make a distinction between that and doctrine which cannot be changed. people are resonating with it. >> doctrine does not change but the focus the pope has chosen to take in including that as it relates to divorce an remarried people. 95% according to the shriver report support openness to divorced, re-married people in the church. >> this is a pope who spent the majority of his life with people in the streets. this is not somebody who spent a lot of time in the vatican where these sort of topics -- >> my colleague kasie hunt is now just where the pope is. >> reporter: tamron, he's coming around this corner where these people have been standing. we heard this swell of cheers just come here ever so slowly. there you can see him waving out of his pope mobile, giving the thumbs up in that jeep wrangler which i have to say, even for those of us who i think have spent a lot of time covering a lot of very -- covering president, covering other important events in washington, this is really unlike anything a lot of us have seen and i think you're seeing that reaction from all of these people here reaching out their hands to him. you'll notice he's much closer to the crowd on this side of the street now that he's not in an area where there are crowds on both sides. so far we haven't seen him get out of his pope mobile which i'm sure is making the secret service feel much better. but i think you can see there, they're all walking right next to him in the event that he does do something along those lines. as we know, that's something he does not infrequently. >> they may have negotiated. we will bring the babies if you stay in the pope mobile! that may be the deal. but we know, as you pointed out, that's a deal easily broken by this honorable man. >> it is. >> we are watching what is a short parade route. speed wise, can you gauge how quickly they're moving through this, kasie? >> it seems like they've actually picked up a little bit of speed. they have more than -- about a dozen motorcycles at the front of this and they for a little while were having to stop and wait for the pope to catch up. when he seemed to take the turn around the corner pretty quickly, faster than most people i think would walk down streets. some of the officers jogging a little bit to keep up with him. this really, for the amount of time that the people have waited to see him, is really a very quick and short parade route. still less than 15 minutes long, it seems so far. we should also point out, i think you can see some of these flags that are now lining the streets here in central washington. there's three flags. it is the american flag, the flag of the holy see in the middle, then the flag of the district of columbia is the third one that you are seeing there. obviously a beautiful sunny day here in washington, d.c. these crowds not having to brave any sort of weather. already you can see i think people moving away as the pope approaches the entrance back into the white house. he's actually going to drive back into one of the driveways at the white house there when he reaches the end of this route here. it looks like he is basically approaching the end of the parade route after just a few minutes coming along this. we should point out also it is under a mile the distance that he traveled down 14th street -- excuse me, down 17th street, across constitution, and now you are looking up 15th street in washington. >> for those people there, the most exciting five minutes of their lives, if i can say, or make an assumption there. we saw along the route within a few seconds the first baby being plucked from the masses, presented to this pope, only the third pope to visit the white house now re-approaching the start place. there was the first child that we saw there. kathleen, again, this pope leaning so close to the door, nearly giving the appearance of teetering out of it just to get close. this is his energy. >> it is. i was in rome last summer and he drove right past me with his window down and looked right at me and i can't describe the thrill i felt just by getting that close to him. and everyone in that crowd is feeling exactly the same thrill right now. >> looks like a cameraman may have received a blessing there from the pope. to your point, he's here in central park and i shared with you, i want to be in the masses with everyone else hoping to just get a glimpse. >> just to wave to him, just to be in the same place that he is for a brief time. >> look at the crowds moving back there. leno, this again is just the beginning. yesterday late afternoon, 4:00, the pope landed at joint base andrews. now his first opportunity outside of the little crowds that were here and there. but this is the big chance where you can't be connected or you don't need to be connected. you don't need to know someone. there is no, dare i say, litmus test to get in other than the security detail through the mag trom t magnetometer. >> i was in havana with the pope as well. the cuban government was very proud at the events, they said now unlike america, this is a non-ticketed event, flanybody c come and anybody can show up. because of the security that needs to be done here, there aren't that many chances for people to get this close to the pope. as i've traveled with him around the world, this type of excitement is almost impossible to explain, why people sleep overnight, or spend since, eight hours, whether in the philippines with million people gathering for are a pl mass or washington, d.c., kids take off school. the fact that everybody is there just to get a glimpse of the pope. that's when it has nothing to do really with the doctrine or disagreements or things that exist in the church. this is when it comes to a simple matter of humanity and faith in this leader. >> that leads me to the next stop for the pope. st. matthew prayer service with the u.s. bishops. that is where we focus on doctrine and these are the people who carry out this pope's direction. so you leave the enthusiasm of just everything it is that this pope represents to the more somber and more serious part of this visit. >> it will be serious in his message but he will also as he's been already, he'll be inspirational and encouraging. he will call upon leaders -- church leaders in this country to follow his example and to lead with a positive, to go out and be with the people. remember, this is a pope who described himself in one of his first major interviews as a sinner. he's talked about the mistakes he's made as a leader and how he learned from them. he's going to encourage u.s. bishops also. he's going to canonize a man later on this afternoon who also made mistakes, mistakes that we can learn from today. so i expect that there are a lot of topics that he could be talking about but he will be focusing on encouragement and dialogue, the themes of his papacy. >> i want to quickly get your thoughts on the canonization of junipero serro. you've written extensibilively about controversial figure and one that obviously the pope feels is worthy of this moment about this controversy. >> the pope waived the second miracle to make this happen. first canonization on u.s. soil which is very significant. but i think that the pope identifies with the man. junipero serra had a very nice life in spain and went to the equivalent of the ends of the earth for his day to bring the gospel to people who didn't hear or understand it. when you think about what pope francis said on the night of his election, i've come from the ends of the earth. you think about what he did in his life, to be the leader we all needed. i think that's the message that he's sending. absolutely it is controversy. but remember, saints are not without sin. if they were, nobody would be canonized. i think that really you canonize people not for the person itself. you canonize them for the rest of us and when other missionaries were canonized, imhe a thinking about french jesuits, canonized in 1930, there was no controversy then because we didn't know as much about the effects of european colonization. we understand more now. that's what's happening with father serra. >> thank you very much. we'll be right back with much more coverage. the pope will move on to st. matthew for the prayer service with the u.s. bishops. but this last 30 minutes has been extremely exciting to watch for the people, for the pope, and honestly, for the message that he wants to present to the united states on this six-day visit. we'll be right back. sfx: drum beats mother nature can turn in an instant; sfx: drum beats don't turn back. ♪ introducing the new 2016 ford explorer. be 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letter and the shirt of some sort and being taken back away with a story that her family will tell as long as they exist. i'm joined now by former ambassador to the vatican and former mayor of boston, ray flynn. >> good to be with you. >> first off, i'd like your raw impreths of this short parade but obviously one of great impact. >> well, no matter how many times i've seen it, it always is exciting. it's always a special occasion, not just for the people that are there but also for the world community watching on tv. because it reminds us of the values which we come from. i was talking about it earlier. this what i'm seeing today, what i heard pope francis say at the white house were the values that i was taught in my home, in my neighborhood, in my church growing up in south boston. and here we are, we're reminded of that once again. so it is a regeneration of our values as catholics, as americans, and a very special day. i think every child in america should watch this because it's really about what america is about, what faith is all about, what family is all about. >> you mentioned the values, the shriver report i believe puts the number around 77% believe this pope's values are in line with theirs. how do you define that right now at a time when the debate, for example, climate change, the debate over the role of a person who's been divorced or remarried in the church. the conversation over lgbt issues and what sin is. how do you define that now? >> i don't think you're going to see dramatic cultural or religious changes within the catholic church. i know that for a fact. but i think the tone is what pope francis brings to this -- to the debate. i've been in poll tickeitics ov years and i've sat down with people that i agree with and people that i disagree with. but i always strive to say when the people that i disagree with leave the table and they say he treated me with dignity and respect. i think that's what pope francis is bringing to this dialogue, not only here in the united states as you did the other day in cuba but as cross the world. he's humble, he's simple. he's an authentic pope. it's not just made up because the people around him said that's very popular. but it's who he is and who he -- where he came from, his environment. we're all products of our environment and all things can change. but one thing that won't change is the truth. he's truly a pope, a person of just humble, authentic origins who never forgot where he came from and what is important to him as a person not just as a world religious leader. >> you mentioned that one thing that does not change is the truth. another thing will not change as well, the church doctrine. but the tone and the approach of it all with this pope. he is entering from the crowds screaming and wanting to just get a glimpse to a more subdued meeting with the u.s. bishops here. there's been a great -- as you point out, the word debate which is an interesting word when you talk about the church as it relates to the truth and the facts of the doctrine. but an interesting conversation on the acceptance of his message even within the higher ranks of the church. >> yeah. there is division, there's no question about it. there will be differences of opinion. not about the substance necessarily. i know most of these cardinals. some who are termed on the left and some that are termed on the right. but fundamentally when they come together, they all agree in the substance of the issues. they don't believe any kind of dramatic change in life or family or respect or poverty or inequality. it is the political environments around the world that wants to spin his position to their way of like iing politically speaki. the pope can't always be on the ground for every political debate that's taking place in the united states. >> the pope is arriving now. but i want to ask you quickly some of the politics. obviously the mayor of boston saying he's boycotting the pope's speech because he will speak on climate change. a devout atheist said why am i agreeing with the pope on climate change and you are not? how do you make heads or tails of this? >> i think that's a political issue. i think the pope is taking it in another direction. i think he's taking god's environment is a gift to us, a healthy environment. not just for people in the upper east side but for people in the slums of california, in los angeles. >> we see the pope getting out of his fiat. i apologize for interrupting. kelly o'donnell is stationed out there as well as the pope leaves that fiat and enters st. matthew. kelly. >> reporter: it is real lnly an extraordinary moment. the pope is now back in the fiat in front of the mother church of the archdiocese of washington. we've seen a lot of activity here in the last few minutes, enormous anticipation building. inside the cathedral he will see 300 american bishops. he's being greeted now on the steps approaching the steps with cardin cardinal wehrl. inside parishioners were part after lottery to receive tickets to attend this today. at the corners of -- this is rhode island avenue in washington. there have been some protesters at a distance. and then of course pausing now to wave. he was waving to people who are in the office buildings behind me who have been pressed against the windows for quite some time. >> still with a smile on his face. >> reporter: this was the churchurc church -- it is really a wonderful moment. tamron, this will be an opportunity for the pope to really have a meeting with the american bishops to talk about issues of the church. it is not a public event. it is fully ticketed and it is an important moment for him to connect with the american bishops. we expect that in his remarks which will be in spanish, we're told, that he will address some of the most difficult and dark days for the american church. the crisis of sexual abuse. the cost that that put to many diocese who paid millions of dollars in claims and sold many of their assets. that is certainly true in many diocese around the country. so he will acknowledge that pain and talk about the future of the church. while there is that sad history that is very palpable, that has really discouraged many american catholics from their adherence to the church, he will also talk about the optimism and the future and really just have an opportunity to pray together with american bishops and many people who work for the u.s. conference of catholic bishops and again parishioners hered a st. matthew's. earlier, i was going to say this was where the funeral of john f. kennedy was held. where john f. kennedy jr. saluted his father, that happened right on the steps of st. matthew's. >> we are watching it all play out again. ambassador, just to kelly's point, as an american-catholic, as the mayor of boston, the symbolism of it beyond the church itself but what it means for american catholics? >> one thing that i think he's going to mention is stress. i think it is incredibly important. it is still an issue, sex abuse scandal, here in the united states. it broke in boston. and people -- a lot of people still haven't forgotten or gotten over that. and for the holy father to recognize the victims and their families and to extend an apology, i think that is very, very important. some people say well let's move on. well, no. these people are affected in the most negative way. and then once you do that, and then it's -- once the forgiveness sets in and the acknowledgement of that, then you can move forward but you can't jump over that without acknowledging that. >> the pope pray iing has to discuss its darkest days. and many people might say, move on. but there are still many others in pain. still much we learn, quite honestly through lawsuits, it seems way tuchb about what woo happening. >> i thought it was too celebratory at the white house event, but i have not felt that at a public event in a long time. maybe i'm bias because i'm a francis fan, but you felt it in the whole crowd. there's a feeling that this is a pope of new things. he said he wants to bring about a new challenge in the church teaching. so i think that is there, but parallel to that is this dark moment in the church. and i think one of the reasons a lot of people in the church, including very faithful people in church, are still angry is one, while many priests have been brought to account for these grievous acts, the church itself, the church structure, the church hierarchy, there hasn't been, i think, as much of a price paid or a kind of really candid accounting of what the church has an institution has to do to restore the faith of its faithful, if i can put it that way. so i think it is going to be very interesting to see how the pope addresses this. we don't know what he's going to tell the bishops here, but it is something that i strongly suspect he is going to talk about publicly along with the many other things he talks about today at the white house. because it is very important to winning back catholics who left the church and reaffirming those catholics who have stayed in the notion that the church will hold itself accountable. >> we're told about 350 bishops are present here. i've got some more information on one of the little girls, ambassador, who met with the pope today. such an interesting story, the 5-year-old gave a t-shirt to the pope. she told me colleague, she's 5 years old from los angeles. her father said they made a great sacrifice to make the trip. and they were able to do this with the support of many migrant families. and he believed his daughter delivered a letter to the pope. he also, the father of this child, spoke about migrants saying they are not here to be a burden on the country, they are just here to, with. so the child of a migrant was one of the individuals who was able to get that close to the pope, whose very first words was about being -- >> that's what is profound about francis. is that that is a story very important. that's the tradition and the values that we grew up with. we are all immigrants and come from immigrant families. i have a grandson whose special needs -- special needs child, and i know that many special needs parents are around the country and i know that francis will speak to them. and he'll meet with the homeless people. that's what the church really is, the church is about god and people. and the pope's job is to bring god together, closer, with the people. and the people, who are the people? the people are the homeless, the poor, the immigrant, they are special needs children like my grandson braden, and in all people and margins of society, not just the rich and famous. >> tamron -- >> go ahead, rich. >> you made a great point. it sends a powerful message when the pope began his speech in the white house by saying that he was, as the son of an immigrant family, his family immigrated to argentina, and hi also spoke of the united states as a country that was largely built by such families. he didn't need to say something directly political about some bill in congress to send a really powerful message about where he stood on immigration and the rights of immigrants and by extension of where the church itself stands on that issue. >> now i have details on the gift given to the pope by president obama. it was presented with a sculpture of an ascending dove. obviously the sign of peace. it's a one-of-a-kind metal sculpture from a bar of the statue of liberty preserved during lady of liberty's cent y centennial celebration. it was a symbol of peace for this man of peace, this humble man. also, we are told ben carson will attend the pope's address to congress as representative sanford's guest there, mark sanford, of south carolina, inviting ben carson to that event. so it's a lot to discuss, a lot to continue to discuss throughout this hour. it's been an incredible two-hour journey and we have many days to go. ambassador, thank you so much for your time. e.j. dionne, thank you. now the pope will meet with the bishops, but it's the image so far this day, the lasting image of these children one by one being plucked from the crowds who gathered there, as pointed out, some making great sacrifice to be there to have the opportunity to see this humble holy man of great grace. so we will continue to follow the pope's journey, as mentioned, this prayer service at st. matthew will be followed by the canonization mass of junipero serra. and then on to catholic charyties with the pope will meet with some 200 homeless individuals. then on thursday, addressing the most powerful men and women in this country on capitol hill. we'll have much more for you with coverage continuing throughout the day. i'm tamron hall. up next, my colleague, andrea mitchell. ♪ queso dip ♪ ♪ haven't been this lost in years ♪ (gps) ♪ recalculating shortest route ♪ ♪ do i really look like this? ♪ ♪ never seen this one before ♪ chicken parm you taste so good ♪ 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[ applause ] and total praise. >> what a beautiful day the lord has made. >> in the nation's capital better known for cynicism, today is a day for peace and joy. >> mr.