Cuomo, De Blasio Speak About Global Impact Of Pope Francis Ahead Of NYC Visit
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Pope Francis is set to land in New York this week.
The pontiff celebrated Mass Sunday morning in Havana.
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo spoke about the impact the pope has had on the global stage ahead of his visit.
"Pope Francis is important to the Catholics that are in this state. But Pope Francis really has transcended just Catholics, just Christians. You have people of all different religions who have been captured by Pope Francis," Cuomo said at the Mount Neboy Baptist Church in Harlem Sunday morning.
"His Holiness has captured the imagination of the entire world, Catholic believers and non-believers and people of all faiths," de Blasio said on ABC's This Week. "Because he's talking about what a moral structure looks like that actually is inclusive. That's the power of this pope. Yes, he's an incredibly compelling personality and communicator. But it's his ideas that are actually calling people to a different kind of world order. And I think when he comes here, to a country he's never been to before, and talks before the United States Congress, I think it's going to be one of those moments that we look back on and say this is a moment where American society and politics started to change."
Meanwhile, a CBS News/New York Times Poll out Sunday morning looked at views among American Catholics on Pope Francis and the Catholic Church.
It found:
- The reign of Pope Francis in the Vatican coincides with an unprecedented positive assessment of the Catholic Church by American Catholics. 53% of Catholics say the Church is in touch with the needs of Catholics today, the highest that figure has been since the question was first asked in this poll in 1987.
- 63% of Catholics say the condition of the Church in the U.S. is excellent or good, up from 54% in 2013.
- American Catholics have positive views of Pope Francis: 63% are favorable, just 3% unfavorable. Among Americans overall, 41% are favorable and just 8% are unfavorable.
- 79% of Catholics approve of the direction Pope Francis is taking the Catholic Church, including more than half who strongly approve. 53% say he shares their priorities for the Church, and majorities approve of how he is addressing specific issues like poverty and the environment.
- Most American Catholics would like to see more reforms in Church doctrine. Majorities favor allowing Catholics to use artificial birth control, women becoming priests, priests being allowed to marry, and divorced Catholics receiving communion even if their previous marriage was not annulled.
Stay with CBSNewYork.com for complete coverage of the pope's upcoming visit.
