Archbishop Chaput confirms pope to visit Philadelphia in September 2015

By Nancy Wiechec
National Catholic Reporter
July 25, 2014

http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/archbishop-chaput-confirms-pope-visit-philadelphia-september-2015

Fargo, N.D.

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput said Pope Francis has accepted his invitation to attend the World Meeting of Families in the U.S. next year.

Chaput made the announcement Thursday before giving his homily during the opening Mass of the Tekakwitha Conference in Fargo.

"Pope Francis has told me that he is coming," said the archbishop as he invited his fellow Native Americans to the 2015 celebration being held in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27.

"The pope will be with us the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of that week," he said.

Jesuit Fr. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said Friday that Pope Francis has expressed "his willingness to participate in the World Meeting of Families" in Philadelphia, and has received invitations to visit other cities as well, which he is considering. Those invitations include New York, the United Nations and Washington.

Some Mexican media have cited government officials saying a September trip to North America also could include stops in Mexico, but Lombardi said that at this moment "nothing operational has begun relative to a plan or program for a visit to the United States or Mexico. Keep in mind, there is still more than a year to go before the meeting in Philadelphia."