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WASHINGTON, D.C., March 13, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – In his congratulations message to the new Pope Francis I, President Obama once again cited his “work with Pope Benedict XVI.”

The phrase is reminiscent of his message to Pope Emeritus Benedict upon his resignation, when he wrote, “I have appreciated our work together over these last four years.”

President Obama, who opposes the Catholic Church's position on a host of social issues and has defunded Catholic agencies over their opposition to abortion, did not specify what this work might be.

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His message to the new pope called Pope Francis “a champion of the poor and the most vulnerable among us,” who “carries forth the message of love and compassion that has inspired the world for more than two thousand years – that in each other we see the face of God.”

Obama made light of the tension his administration has provoked on Good Morning America today. When host George Stephanopoulos asked if an American pope might be too beholden to the U.S. president, Obama replied, “the Conference of Catholic Bishops don't seem to be taking orders from me.”

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The president, who is seeking a grand bargain to offer amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants mostly from Latin America, highlighted the cardinal's birth in Argentina. “As the first pope from the Americas, his selection also speaks to the strength and vitality of a region that is increasingly shaping our world,” Obama wrote, “and alongside millions of Hispanic Americans, those of us in the United States share the joy of this historic day.”

House Speaker John Boehner also weighed in on Pope Francis' election. “Thanks be to God for our new pope, Francis I,” Boehner, who is Catholic, said. “Even more special is that our church will be led for the first time by a Holy Father from the Americas, marking a new milestone in the history of a faith that has endured for millennia.”

“For me, it is truly inspiring that our new pope has taken the name of Francis, the saint who lived a simple life of humility and charity, setting an example for how to make God’s love visible to all, especially those in despair or pain,” Boehner stated.