Originally published at National Catholic Register
After receiving this recognition, the Holy Father decided to send the medal to the Buenos Aires cathedral, where he served as archbishop and cardinal primate until the conclave that elected him the successor of Peter in 2013.
Pope Francis has gifted the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded to him by former U.S. President Joe Biden to the metropolitan cathedral of Buenos Aires.
The medal is the highest honor given to a civilian by the United States, which the former president in January, before leaving office, decided to bestow upon the Holy Father, announcing the award by telephone.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction recognizes “individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant social, public, or private endeavors” and has been awarded only 55 times.
In presenting the award to the apostolic nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the White House noted that Jorge Bergoglio “for decades served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As Pope Francis, his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children’s questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight
