Pope Francis has expressed his intention to visit the United States next year for a major meeting of the Roman Catholic Church, CNN Vatican analyst John Allen said Friday, citing Vatican sources. The pope would attend the eighth World Meeting of Families, which has been held every three years since the late Pope John Paul II convened the first such gathering in 1994. The Vatican announced in February that the meeting will be held September 22-27, 2015, in Philadelphia. "The World Meeting of Families has traditionally been attended by the Holy Father," Kenneth Gavin, a spokesman for the Philadelphia Archdiocese, said in a statement. "We are planning as if Pope Francis will be with us and have no indication that he will not attend. It is important to note that reports circulating widely today regarding the Holy Father's presence are not official."
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Pope Francis expresses desire to visit United States next year
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Pontiff would attend the eighth World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia
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A visit by the first Latin American pope would resonate with nation's Latinos
"As far as I know, he's never visited the @placeholder, and as shepherd of the universal church it will really be beneficial for him to have a greater understanding of the flock here, and for people here to get to know our Holy Father," Paprocki said.