By the time this comment is posted, the visit of Francis to the United States will have concluded. It will have been marked by events of great significance, words that we will dwell on and small acts that tell us as much, if not more, than a carefully phrased paragraph. The arrival of a Fiat 500 at the White House was a first I am sure.

As I am writing this he has yet to speak at the United Nations; I want to talk about his words to Congress. It was a momentous occasion, beginning with his introduction as: ”The pope of the Holy See”. That was different.

But then when he quoted four Americans, his choice was wide and reflected his own expansive vision. In naming Lincoln , he registered the trauma of the Civil War and the role played by that President in leading his people through a time of strife and great bitterness.

Fast forward a century and the presence of Martin Luther King dominated the political scene. As leader of the Civil Rights movement his was the example of powerful words combined with courageous deeds. Both men were to die a violent death in consequence of their actions.

With Dorothy Day, he spoke of a woman whose life, through establishing the Catholic Worker movement in New York City , was dedicated to the poor, the homeless, the casualties of an urban society. Now the cause for her beatification has been taken up with the unanimous support of the USCCB.

And then finally there was mention of Thomas Merton, the monk of the Abbey of Gethsemane whose centenary we celebrate this year. Writing in the Tablet back in the 90s, John Herriot described Merton as the example of monastic vocation in the late 20^th C. He was a controversial figure in his life time, subject to the censorship of his Cistercian Order on a number of occasions, yet faithful in his commitment until his early death in the same year as Martin Luther King.

When an article on the life of Thomas Merton was excluded from the recent edition of the American Catechism, the Chair of the editorial group, Bishop Donald Wuerl, received a letter which was endorsed by more than 1500 signatories. It concluded with this comment.

"We are particularly disappointed and deeply disturbed by news reports that the figure of Thomas Merton, who was to have appeared in the opening chapter of the catechism, was eliminated from the final draft. Merton has played a crucial role in the faith journeys of thousands upon thousands of Catholics (as well as other Christians and even non-Christians) both during his lifetime and since his death, and we believe his inclusion in the catechism can and should be a significant way to extend the powerful witness of his life and writings to a new audience.  We respectfully request that the committee reverse its decision and restore the material on Merton to its original place in the volume".

Needless to say, this request was not honoured and the Catechism that was finally published is the poorer for this unfortunate omission. You can only speculate what they must now feel with the inclusion of Merton by Francis in such an important speech. Merton himself would no doubt find his name being written in to the record of Congress the occasion for a wry smile

Concern for the poor and the disadvantaged are continual threads in the teaching we receive from Francis. In choosing these four Americans for mention he again emphasised the centrality of his love of Christ through the actions of those who care.

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