TAKING A STEP BACK from the pomp and circumstance surrounding his visit to the U.S., Pope Benedict XVI descended last night into the tiny Crypt Church at the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. There he addressed over 300 U.S. Catholic bishops. As he sat in front of an altar dedicated to Our Lady of the Catacombs, a bespectacled Benedict XVI spoke of the challenges posed by secularism.

Regarding matters of public policy, he said that “there is much current and proposed legislation that gives cause for concern from the point of view of morality, and the Catholic community, under your guidance, needs to offer a clear and united witness on such matters.” At various points throughout the speech, he encouraged the bishops to “continue to welcome immigrants,” spoke out against the “scandal given by Catholics who promote an alleged right to abortion,” and asked the bishops to “proclaim boldly the arguments from faith and reason in favor of the institution of marriage.”