Given the size and influence of the Roman Catholic community in this country, the Pope’s every word makes news. And that’s the potential trap. He has emphasized, as did his traveling predecessors, that this is a “pastoral visit.” A pastor wants to be able to speak to his flock, in words they can understand, based on shared traditions and assumptions. A leader leads first by self-definition.

When words meant for an internal audience are scrutinized in very different contexts, the leader is likely to be misunderstood. Just as likely, he will be thought by those in other communities—or the non-religious—as being presumptuous.

Then there is the well-demonstrated truth about communications: we usually hear better when we are overhearing than when directly addressed.

America will overhear the Pope and perhaps will hear some things very clearly. But as a pastor and leader, his words and actions need to be unashamedly for his own people. Many of them have experiences and views different from his own and from official Catholic teaching. We will all be listening to see how he himself listens and how his community hears. In spite of their internal rifts, their faith and work in our society is important to us all.