Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV has issued a Thanksgiving message to Americans from his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, just outside Rome. “I would encourage all people, especially with this beautiful feast that we have in the United States, which unites all people, people of different faiths, people who perhaps do not have the gift of faith, but to say thank you to someone, to recognize that we all have received so many gifts, first and foremost, the gift of life,” said the pontiff, 70, who grew up on Chicago’s South Side and became the first American leader of the Catholic Church in May. “The gift of faith, the gift of unity to encourage all people to try and promote peace and harmony and to give thanks to God for them and the gifts we can give,” he added, speaking to NBC’s Molly Hunter on Tuesday. Pope Leo has been highly critical of the Trump administration’s treatment of migrants in the U.S., calling on the government to treat people “humanely” and with “dignity” earlier this month. He will travel to Turkey on Thursday as part of his first foreign trip since he was elected.
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