Pope Francis May Visit U.S. Next Year

Pope Francis, much beloved by both Catholics and secular folk alike, may be taking his Popemobile over to the United States in 2015 for a visit.

At this point, the 2015 Pope Francis visit is still only in the buzz stage, and the report comes from an Archbishop in Philly.

Papal visits to the U.S. are a generally rare thing, though not unheard of in most people’s lifetimes. The most recent instance of a Pope visiting the United States was back in 2008, and it even had a title, the “Apostolic Visit to the United States of America and to the Seat of the United Nations.”

In that year, Pope Benedict XVI chilled up in the American crib from April 15 through April 20, hitting up the White House, Ground Zero, the United Nations, and doing masses in Nationals Park and Yankee Stadium.

USA Today reports that the 2015 Papal visit beans were spilled at the Tekakwitha Conference in Fargo, North Dakota Thursday:

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput said the pontiff has accepted his invitation to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia on Sept. 22 through Sept. 27, 2015… Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told Catholic News Service that Pope Francis had expressed ‘his willingness to participate in the World Meeting of Families.'”

CNN adds that Chaput is fairly certain Pope Francis is a definite for 2015, and the site reports:

“‘Pope Francis has told me that he is coming,’ said the archbishop as he invited his fellow Native Americans to the celebration being held in Philadelphia on September 22 to 27 in 2015… The Catholic News Service also reports the Rev. Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, as saying Pope Francis has received invitations to visit other cities as well, which he is considering. Those invitations include New York, the United Nations, and Washington.”

Although the Archbishop is fairly certain His Holiness is in for next year, the Pope has not tweeted about his upcoming visit to the U.S.

However, the @Pontifex account has been busy lately, sending a few quick meditative messages on the service to followers:

When one lives attached to money, pride or power, it is impossible to be truly happy.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) July 24, 2014

The great threat in today’s world is the loneliness of hearts oppressed by greed.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) July 22, 2014

No official announcement by the Vatican has yet been made to confirm Pope Francis visiting the U.S. in 2015, nor has any specific itinerary been detailed firmly.