Pope Confirms He Will Visit Philadelphia
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis said Nov. 17 that he would attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015, making it the first confirmed stop on what is expected to be a more extensive papal visit to North America.
The pope made the announcement in a speech opening an interreligious conference on traditional marriage.
"I would like to confirm that, God willing, in September 2015 I will go to Philadelphia for the eighth World Meeting of Families," the pope said.
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, who was in Rome for the families meeting, told Catholic News Service the announcement was "a surprise in the sense that it was announced so early; you know usually they don't make these announcements – four months out is the typical and here we are 10 months away, and the Holy Father said he is coming to Philadelphia.
"As I've said many times before, I believe that the presence of the Holy Father will bring all of us – Catholic and non-Catholic alike – together in tremendously powerful, unifying and healing ways. We look forward to Pope Francis' arrival in Philadelphia next September, and we will welcome him joyfully with open arms and prayerful hearts."
In August, Pope Francis told reporters accompanying him on the plane back from South Korea that he "would like" to go to Philadelphia. The pope also noted that President Barack Obama and the U.S. Congress had invited him to Washington, D.C., and that the secretary-general of the United Nations had invited him to New York.
"Maybe the three cities together, no?" Pope Francis said, adding that he could also visit the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico on the same trip -- "but it is not certain."
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told reporters Nov. 17 that Pope Francis wanted to "guarantee organizers" that he would be present at the meeting in Philadelphia, "but he did not say anything about other possible stops or events during that trip. And for now I do not have anything to add in that regard."
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed the pope's announcement.
"The presence of Pope Francis at the World Meeting of Families in our country will be a joyful moment for millions of Catholics and people of good will,” Archbishop Kurtz said. “Our great hope has been that the Holy Father would visit us next year to inspire our families in their mission of love. It is a blessing to hear the pope himself announce the much anticipated news."
