2012 Papal trip to Mexico & Cuba being studied seriously, spokesman says

November 10 | Catholic News Service

(Vatican City) - Vatican officials are at an advanced stage in studying the possibility of a papal trip to Mexico and Cuba in the spring of 2012, the Vatican spokesman said.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, told reporters Nov. 10 that the nuncios to Mexico and Cuba have been told to inform those governments that “the pope is studying a concrete plan to visit the two countries, responding to the invitations received” from them.

Father Lombardi said a definite decision regarding a trip in the spring should be made within a few weeks. The fact that the nuncios were asked to inform the governments demonstrates the advanced nature of the planning, he said.

The Mexican government and Mexican Catholics repeatedly have said they’d like Pope Benedict to visit “and he is happy to finally be able to respond,” the Jesuit said. The pope went to Brazil in 2007, but would like to visit a Spanish-speaking country in the region and Mexico is the largest of them.

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