when we talk about the poor, he s out there actually inviting poor men to his birthday dinner or making sure that we have showers at the vatican or going to an island where refugees are struggling to find but even on the issue of homosexuality, let s face it, pope benedict talked about an intrinsic mental disorder. this pope says who am i to judge? there are huge differences. this pope is a pastor. but it s a difference in approach, exactly. welcome. who am i to judge? but actually you re the pope of a church which does judge. but even that is up for potential discussion in this synod. we don t know. just a clarification, too. it s not the phrase it s a mental disorder, it s a disorder. and the problem is it s a theological term. it refers to theological order of nature or whatever. i know i m splitting hairs. but because the word disorder tends to go to that order of mental disorder, and it s a
tend to those in need. to get the church out into the streets among people in need. he said he doesn t want his bishops to be airport bishops. he wants us to be with the people and out in the streets and out serving the work of the church but also serving the common good, what is good for all of us. and the encyclical on the environment is about that. he s put himself out there as the voice of the global poor. chris cuomo is out there on the white house lawn awaiting the pomp and circumstances. well listening to your conversation it is so interesting that so many of the themes that you are hitting on are exactly what brought everyone here today. to ignore the political implications would be naive if not silly. the clearly the pope isn t. he is here to be overtly political and that is not unusual for a pope. but the scene here right now is very quiet. people literally on their feet waiting for the pope and the president to walk out. we all know that he is very
us. i m delighted to be here, chris. reporter: you are controversial, sir. do you feel that way, and what do you think it is about? i didn t feel very controversial standing in the middle of 15,000 people. far, far away from the pope. i was honored and humbled to be invited. to be here at the white house, to help welcome the pope. but the controversy, i think, was a bit of a tempest in a teapot. let s tell them why. is it the color of his shirt? it s that you were the first openly gay bishop in the episcopal church. there is reporting that the vatican pushed back and said we re worried about some of these invitees, namely a gay bishop because it could be a photo op. it could be used to push a policy agenda that does not reflect the holy father or the vatican. fair criticism and concern? sure. and i would never have put the pope in such a position. i never expected to meet the pope. i never nothing like that was ever set up. so i m left wondering who stirred this up, whether
and this pope is, in his own way, a huge motivator in terms of social justice, climate justice, you know, people he s also and we re here with delia gallagher, vatican correspondent, and bishop christopher coyne from vermont. he s set the tone in terms of where he lives in the vatican itself. i think that was one of the clues to people that he really meant business when he talks about being a pope for the poor and he wants a church for the poor. he doesn t live in the beautiful residence that the prior pope lived in at the vatican. right. which by his own admission is not so beautiful. he said it s very big and it s kind of a funnel to get into it. he said he wanted to be with people, and that s why he lives in the hotel. and before we take a break, we want to go to rosa flores who is at catholic university with all the preparations because that s where the pope is going to give the big mass this afternoon. rosa. reporter: well, i think the
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. [ applause ] in your humility, your embrace