Francisco will travel to Brazil in July

March 19, 2013

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President of the National Conference of Brazilian Bishops Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis confirmed that Pope Francisco travel to Brazil in July as part of the World Youth Day (WYD) Rio 2013.

“I had the opportunity to speak with Cardinal Bergoglio (now Pope Francis) and he said ‘yes, I’m going to Brazil’,” said Assis.

In this line, the Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, and President of the Episcopal Conference of Argentina, Monsignor Jose Maria Arancedo, slid it’s possible a visit to Argentina.

“It is hoped that the Pope made ​​a trip to Argentina,” said the Vatican spokesman, but said that the agenda is not yet set.

Meanwhile, tomorrow, the Pope will meet with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who would want to talk about “hunger and poverty”, a subject on which, the pontiff has shown particular sensitivity.

Dilma said the church also must “start to understand the different options for people,” referring to marriage equality and the rights of minorities.