To meet pope, leaders will go to White House

House and Senate leaders will be visiting the pope at the White House when he makes the first papal visit to Washington, D.C. in 29 years.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) all will join President Bush to greet Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday morning, when he will celebrate his 81st birthday.

{mosads}A notable absence from the White House meeting is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.). McConnell’s office did not specify why McConnell was not going to the White House, but said the Republican leader would address the Senate that morning to welcome the pope to the U.S.

His office also said a large number of Senate Republicans would attend the White House meeting.

"The Republican Conference will be well-represented at the White House tomorrow," said Don Stewart, McConnell's spokesman.” Sen. McConnell will be addressing the Senate in the morning welcoming the pope to America."

Pelosi and Boehner, who are both Catholic, also plan to attend Mass with the pope at the newly opened Nationals baseball stadium on Thursday morning. It is unclear how many other members of Congress and the Senate will attend the Papal Mass.

Like Hoyer, McConnell is a Baptist, while Reid is a Mormon.

This will be a pope’s first visit to the United States since the revelation of sexual abuse within the church four years ago.

He has declined to meet with sexual abuse victims during his five-day stay in America, and his visit as a result has been greeted with criticism from some advocacy groups.

The pope is scheduled to arrive at Andrews Air Force Base Tuesday, where President Bush will greet him.

Besides the White House reception, the pope on Wednesday night is scheduled to speak at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America, and one of the 10 largest churches in the world.

Some lawmakers, including Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), are also expected to see the pope Wednesday night at the Italian embassy, which is holding a dinner in his honor.

On Thursday afternoon, the pope will speak at Catholic University of America. That evening, he will hold an “interreligious gathering” with representatives of other religions on the theme “Peace Our Hope” at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center.

On Friday the pope leaves for New York City, where he is planning trips to ground zero and to the United Nations.

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), the sponsor of a measure approved by Congress last week that welcomes the pope to the U.S., will also attend the White House meeting.

“Pope Benedict XVI’s apostolic visit to the United States is a uniquely historical moment,” said McCotter in a statement. “It has been 29 years since the leader of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican Head of State has visited the White House, and it is the first visit by Pope Benedict to the United States.  All Americans should eagerly look forward to his message of hope and renewal.”