Pope says he wants to go to Fatima centenary

Friday, May 1st, 2015

Pope Francis has said he will visit Portugal in 2017 for the 100th anniversary of the Marian apparitions in Fatima.

Following a private audience with the Pope, Bishop Antonio Marto of Leiria-Fatima told media that Francis expressed a desire to make the trip, provided he is still “alive and healthy” at the time.

If Francis makes the trip he will be the fourth pope to do so, following Benedict XVI, St John Paul II and Blessed Paul VI.

The most likely dates for a papal visit would be May 13, the anniversary of the first apparition, or October 13, the anniversary of the miracle of the Sun.

Additional reading

News category: News Shorts.

Tags: Centenary, Fatima, Marian apparitions, Pope Francis, Portugal

The optimism of Timothy Radcliffe

Fr Timothy Radcliffe, the Dominican friar, was chosen by Pope Francis to lead the three-day retreat for all participants prior to the first assembly last October of the Synod on Synodality. This was a position of great trust given the Read more

Theologian: The future of the church is local

In Europe, the number of church members is declining – but Christianity remains strong worldwide. However, the structures do not remain stable, but are constantly changing. Thomas Schlag is Professor of Practical Theology at the University of Zurich, where he Read more

The perils and necessities of saying ‘I don’t know’

When I was studying political science in graduate school, I was surrounded by students who were much smarter than me. Most of my fellow students at the University of California Berkeley went to Ivy League schools as undergraduates. They were Read more

Survey: New priests are young and involved in their community

The incoming class of seminarians who will be ordained in 2024 is young and involved in their community, an annual survey released April 15 found. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops commissioned the Center for Applied Research (CARA) at Georgetown Read more

CathNews New Zealand