Influential Pope Francis Hopes To Reduce Violence In Mexico

Pope Francis intends to address the violence and migration issues in Mexico during his trip next year.

On Nov 1, a Mexican Cardinal officially announced that Pope Francis will be visiting Mexico on February 12.

Influential Pope Francis Hopes To Reduce Violence In Mexico[/tweetthis]

“From that day onward, we will receive him with a lot of affection,” he said. He did not say how long will the visit last but the local media reported that the Pontiff will be in Mexico until February 20.

Villa Roiz added that a Vatican Official would be traveling ahead to make arrangements for the Pope’s trip.

It was in October this year, the Vatican Church Officials had confirmed the Pope’s 2016 visit to Mexico and the news had set off speculations amongst the media about the states he will be visiting. According to the officials, the locations of his visit are still “to be determined.”

Hints that Pope Francis will go to US-Mexico border to show solidarity with migrants. https://t.co/iBitCPqlpw

— Laurie Goodstein (@lauriegnyt) November 2, 2015

The Pontiff started his Americas visit with Brazil for the World Youth Day in August 2013. Then he traveled to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay in July 2014. His most recent visit was to the United States and Cuba from Sept. 19 to 27.

During the Mexican visit, the Pope intends to address the violence and migration that is rampant in the region. It’s one of the central themes of his papacy.

Pope Francis had said that it was his wish to symbolically cross the border city of Ciudad Juarez and begin his U.S. visit as an expression of solidarity with migrants but later decided that it would be too short a visit for Mexico.

The Houses of Mexican Congress have invited him to speak like he did in the United States, but Father Valdemar termed the possibility “unlikely.”

Resources

• Patheos

Follow the Conversation on Twitter