
Mexican foreign minister confirms pope to visit capital, three states
By David Agren Catholic News Service
MEXICO CITY (CNS) -- Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu has confirmed that Pope Francis will visit the capital, Mexico City, along with the states of Chihuahua and Chiapas -- on the northern and southern borders respectively -- and Michoacan in western Mexico.
"The details will be known in December," she said Nov. 11, acknowledging where the pope will travel early next year. Spokesmen for dioceses in the three states and Mexico City confirmed details when contacted by Catholic New Service.
Most notably, Pope Francis is exploring the possibility of visiting the previously problematic border city of Ciudad Juarez, where a battle between drug cartels during the past decade cost more than 10,000 lives in a four-year period.
The Vatican's papal planning team, along with representatives of the Mexican government, visited in preparation for a possible trip, which would include encounters with the community, priests and seminarians and perhaps a prison visit in a lockup previously considered the worst in Latin America.
"The probability is very high that he comes to Juarez," said Father Hesiquio Trevizo, spokesman for the Diocese of Ciudad Juarez.
To read more, click here: http://bit.ly/1MMfjRR
By David Agren Catholic News Service
MEXICO CITY (CNS) -- Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu has confirmed that Pope Francis will visit the capital, Mexico City, along with the states of Chihuahua and Chiapas -- on the northern and southern borders respectively -- and Michoacan in western Mexico.
"The details will be known in December," she said Nov. 11, acknowledging where the pope will travel early next year. Spokesmen for dioceses in the three states and Mexico City confirmed details when contacted by Catholic New Service.
Most notably, Pope Francis is exploring the possibility of visiting the previously problematic border city of Ciudad Juarez, where a battle between drug cartels during the past decade cost more than 10,000 lives in a four-year period.
The Vatican's papal planning team, along with representatives of the Mexican government, visited in preparation for a possible trip, which would include encounters with the community, priests and seminarians and perhaps a prison visit in a lockup previously considered the worst in Latin America.
"The probability is very high that he comes to Juarez," said Father Hesiquio Trevizo, spokesman for the Diocese of Ciudad Juarez.
To read more, click here: http://bit.ly/1MMfjRR