Francisco about the possibility of traveling in Argentina: "We'll see if I can go soon" | Chronic

Pope Francisco badured this Saturday that he hopes to visit "soon" Argentina was questioned about a visit to his native country, which he has not yet traveled since his enthronement, in March 2013.

"We'll see if I can go soon"The Pontiff answered questions from reporters about a possible trip to Argentina, during the flight that drove him from Rome to Rabat this Saturday to begin a two-day visit to Morocco.

Earlier this month, the Argentine bishops welcomed the pontiff for the sixth anniversary of his election and announced that they would renew an invitation to the country during the "ad limina" visit to the Vatican in May.

During an informal greeting with Spanish-speaking journalists aboard the plane, the pontiff stood up this Saturday "Would like" to travel to Spain, another country that he has not visited since his election to Pope 266 of the Catholic Church on March 13, 2013.

This year, Jorge Bergoglio He has already visited Panama, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco, and confirmed trips to Bulgaria, Macedonia and Romania (May), as well as to Madagascar, Mozambique and Mauritius (September).

This week, in an interview, the President of the Argentine Episcopal Conference (CEA), the bishop of San Isidro Oscar OjeaHe noticed that the Church has "wishes" that Pope Francis "Visit Argentina" but he specified that "It's a decision of him."

In this context, Ojea confirmed that during the next visit that all the bishops will make to the Vatican between April 28 and May 18 – as part of the traditional "ad limina" visit – it will be transmitted to Francisco "The desire to visit Argentina."

In a message issued on the occasion of the sixth anniversary of the election of Pope Francis – March 13 – the bishops had expected that during the visit to the Vatican, they would propose that "do not deprive yourself of joy" to visit his homeland, a phrase that has raised expectations and versions of a possible trip for 2020.

"It was only an expression of desire, it is natural that we tell him that we want to come, but it's far from a formal invitation or pressure, it would be ridiculous to think that we can put pressure on the pope to come ". Ojea clarified.

The prelate said that a possible trip for the year 2020, when the elections would pbad, "It's his decision, he makes his decisions in consultation with the Secretary of State and with a personal vision." "We will respect his decision," he added.

And, he pointed out that in the country "We must stop hijacking Francisco's teaching and not to reduce the papal theme to the question of whether he smiled or not, whether he gave a rosary or not," he said. 39 it will come or not … For the Argentineans, in general, it costs the pope to let him become pope, we want him to continue to be Argentinian ".

"We always want to put the pope in all the gaps and problems," concluded the bishop. After the resignation of Benedict XVI in 2013, Bergoglio became the first American Pope of the Catholic Church.

And since then, he has visited most Latin American countries. He was already in Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico.

Although Francisco decides to come to Argentina "soon"As he has just testified before the journalists who accompany him on his flight to Rabat (Morocco), he will remain this morning as the only pontiff of the last 51 years not to have visited his country of origin the first time. year of his mandate.