Pope Francis Adds White House to U.S. Trip, Sets Date for September; Volunteers Needed for Philadelphia Stop

By Jose Serrano (staff@latinospost.com) | First Posted: Mar 26, 2015 07:18 PM EDT

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For this first time since attaining the papacy two years ago, Pope Francis will meet President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on United States' soil, agreeing to a Sept. 23 get-together at the White House.

"During the visit, the president and the Pope will continue the dialogue which they began during the president's visit to the Vatican in March 2014, on their shared values and commitments on a wide range of issues," said a statement released Thursday by White House press secretary Josh Earnest.

In their previous meeting, Obama and Pope Francis spent 50 minutes discussing the right to religious freedom, the state of the church in America, and immigration reform.

Carney said topics this time around will include "caring for the marginalized and the poor, advancing economic opportunity for all; serving as good stewards of the environment; protecting religious minorities and promoting religious freedom around the world; and welcoming and integrating immigrants and refugees into our communities."

Pope Francis' fall tour will mark just the third time a pontiff has visited the White House. Pope John Paul II met President Carter in 1979 and Pope Benedict joined President Bush in 2008. Earlier this year, House Speaker John Boehner announced that the Pope will address a joint session of Congress Sept. 24, though his Oval Office visit was a mystery until Thursday.

While the Vatican won't release Pope Francis' official itinerary about two months in advance of the trip, the pontiff has already added New York and Philadelphia to his schedule.

He will address the annual United Nations' General Assembly of world leaders on Sept. 25 before attending the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia the weekend of Sept. 26-27.

In his weekly column, Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput said the city's Archdiocese needs at least 10,000 volunteers in preparation for the Pope's visit. "This is crucial, since volunteers will be the face of the local Catholic community throughout the meeting," Chaput wrote.

Archbishop Chaput encouraged U.S. citizens at least 18 years old to visit the WMOF website for more information.