On Friday, October 29th, Pope Francis and President Biden meet at the Vatican (Holy See). The meeting focuses on pandemic response, climate issues and poverty. Biden is in Rome for a weekend meeting of G20 heads of state, before heading to Glasgow for a UN-convened summit on climate. 

Eric LeCompte, Executive Director of religious development organization Jubilee USA Network advises the Vatican and United Nations on pandemic response. He has worked with the IMF, White House, Treasury and G20 on economic, health and climate pandemic responses since March of 2020. LeCompte releases the following statement on the Pope Francis-Biden meeting: 

"Francis and Biden are the two most important voices on the need for a robust pandemic response that protects our planet and addresses poverty.

"From a moral perspective, Francis has made the environment and the poor the central concerns of his papacy. From a political perspective, Biden is pushing world leaders to address climate change, poverty and vaccine distribution.

"It's not a coincidence this historic meeting comes right before the G20 Summit where world leaders will make decisions on pandemic response, climate change and economic aid for developing countries. 

"While Pope's meet with every US President, this is only the second time that the President is Catholic.

"The Holy Father and Biden are presenting a united vision for what the Church calls a global society devoted to building the common good."