‘No official confirmation’ of papal trip to Philadelphia
July 28, 2014
Free eBook:
|
| Free eBook: Catholic Quagmire |
A day after Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia said that “Pope Francis has told me that he is coming” to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015, the director of the Holy See Press Office issued a statement.
Although Pope Francis “has shown his willingness to participate” in the meeting, there is not yet “any concrete plan or program regarding a trip to the United States or Mexico,” Father Federico Lombardi said on July 25, as he noted that the meeting is over a year away.
Following Father Lombardi’s comments, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia issued the following statement:
There has been no official confirmation by the Vatican or The Holy See of Pope Francis' attendance at the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. We still expect that any official confirmation will come approximately six months prior to the event.
Archbishop Chaput has frequently shared his confidence in Pope Francis' attendance at the World Meeting and his personal conversations with the Holy Father are the foundation for that confidence. We are further heartened and excited by the comments of the Vatican Press Office regarding Pope Francis' "willingness to participate in the World Meeting of Families." While Archbishop Chaput's comments do not serve as official confirmation, they do serve to bolster our sincere hope that Philadelphia will welcome Pope Francis next September.
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
- Risposta del Direttore della Sala Stampa, Padre Federico Lombardi, a domande di giornalisti circa la eventuale partecipazione del Papa all’incontro mondiale delle Famiglie a Filadelfia nel settembre 2015 (Holy See Press Office)
- Papal trip to the U.S., Mexico not confirmed (Vatican Radio)
- Statement Regarding the Attendance of Pope Francis at the World Meeting of Families-Philadelphia 2015 (Archdiocese of Philadelphia)
- Pope will visit Philadelphia in 2015 for World Meeting of Families (CWN, 7/25)
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
