Pope Francis Invokes Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, and Thomas Merton in Address to Congress

Here is a quote from Pope Francis in his address to Congress on Sept. 24.

"A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did, when it fosters a culture which enables people to 'dream' of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work, the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton." 

Here is the full text of the pope's address to Congress.

And this is how our friend Richard Wood, a professor of sociology at the University of New Mexico, tweeted the quote. 

Francis: Calling us all to our best selves: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton pic.twitter.com/ILnk8LX0j7

— Richard Wood (@RichWoodUNM) September 24, 2015

Prof. Wood, who traveled to Washington and Philadelphia for the pope's visit, wrote a blog piece in anticipation of the pontiff's trip to our country.  Here is an excerpt:

Precisely what Pope Francis will say to America will be revealed only when he steps on our shores. But his visit seems likely to spotlight how the Catholic Church works on multiple levels like no other human agency in the world: with deep roots in local communities and people’s concrete lives; guided by a coherent set of teachings about human life and meaning; driven by transcendent values and Gospel teachings; and capable of worldwide coordination under Spirit-inspired leadership. 
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