Include Detroit among cities that want Pope Francis to visit while he’s in the U.S. next year. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia announced in July that the pope will attend the World Meeting of Families there next year.
Some reports say the pope will visit Washington, DC and New York, and earlier this year, the mayor of Green Bay said he’d like the pope to visit there.
The Archdiocese of Detroit “isn’t pushing the effort,(but) it’s certainly not opposing it,” according to Catholic New Service.
Its statement reads: “The Archdiocese of Detroit is aware of a grass-roots effort to have Pope Francis visit Detroit and is encouraged by the support shown. As we understand it, the effort was launched by some Catholic high school students and has received the support of others in the community. We certainly would be honored and delighted if the Holy Father were to come here.”
That’s diplomatic.
Having the pope visit is obviously a great honor, but the cost – due mostly to the amount of security needed – can be detrimental to the health of the diocese he visits. It wasn’t when Pope John Paul II visited Detroit in 1987, but one need only look at the financial devastation his short visits to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1987, and Monterey, California, in 1987, caused those dioceses to exercise caution in wanting to host the pope.
Update: Shortly after I wrote about the curtains covering the Cousins Center window that is already covered with a board on the Bucks’ side of the glass, they disappeared. Maybe the covered glass is part of a new marketing campaign: “Your Milwaukee Bucks. Nothing to see here.”
Save the dates: Pope Francis has OK’d putting the feast days of St. John XXIII and St. John Paul II on the church’s universal calendar. The former will be celebrated Oct. 11; the latter on Oct. 22.
A day we need to celebrate: Since you’re marking your calendar, remember that this coming Wednesday, Sept. 17, is International Country Music Day.