President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will welcome Pope Francis to the White House on 23 September during his visit to the US.
"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 yesterday by the Office of the Press Secretary at the White House.
Those issues, it said, include "caring for the marginalised 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."
The statement added, "The president looks forward to continuing this conversation with the Holy Father during his first visit to the United States as pope."
Last year, in their first encounter, Pope Francis received the president at the Vatican for a discussion that touched on several areas of tension between the Catholic Church and the White House, including religious freedom and medical ethics.
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