Pope Francis plans visit to Mexico in 2016

The Vatican announced that Pope Francis is planning to visit Mexico in 2016. His itinerary will include a visit to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, confirmed last Tuesday that plans of a papal trip to Mexico are underway, which includes a visit to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine. No official dates have been confirmed, but it will most likely occur during the earlier months of 2016. Details of the visit are expected be available by November.

Pope Francis initially wanted to visit Mexico earlier this year and enter the U.S. through the country, however, his schedule did not permit it. His interest in helping migrants enter the U.S. is one of the reasons the Pope wants to visit the country. It is also reported that the pope is considering visiting the area in Mexico where migrants try to cross illegally, a gesture that is believed to be considered because of his recent trip in America.

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Pope Francis also wants to include Argentina, Uruguay and Chile during his 2016 papal visits, but remains unclear if the following visits will take place. Currently, the only confirmed trip for next year is in Krakow, Poland for the World Youth Day on July 2016.

If Pope Francis does visit Mexico, it will be his first time visiting the country and his second time in the North America. Pope John Paul II travelled five times to Mexico during his 26-years as the Pope of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI visited Mexico once in 2012.

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