PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Burlington County Times
By Peg Quann Staff writer
Will Pope Francis come to Philadelphia in September 2015?
It looks more and more likely, as Archbishop Charles Chaput reportedly told Native Americans in North Dakota on Thursday that “Pope Francis has told me that he is coming.”
The Catholic News Service reported the archbishop mentioned the pope’s pending visit during his homily at the Tekakwitha Conference in Fargo.
Chaput — whose ancestors included Native Americans — told the Fargo conference, “The pope will be with us the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of that week,” according to the CNS report of the event in the Diocese of Trenton online newspaper, The Monitor, Friday morning.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia cautioned, however, on Friday it has not received an official confirmation from the Vatican that the pope will attend the World Meeting of Families in the city Sept. 22-27, 2015. The CNS updated its report to reflect that concern but the story was removed from the Monitor post on the Trenton diocesan website.
Archdiocesan spokesman Ken Gavin said he had a “very strange and hectic day” Friday as the archbishop’s comments became public.
“I was not in Fargo, so I can’t say he was misquoted. He has said things like that before. He’s said similar things, but every time, said we still were waiting for official confirmation from the Vatican … We’re extremely confident that he will be here.”
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