SECURITY THREATS: Pope Francis' safety questioned, cancels South Sudan trip
FREE Catholic Classes
Pope Francis will not be visiting South Sudan this year.
Pope Francis hesitantly cancels his plans to visit South Sudan.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
5/31/2017 (7 years ago)
Published in Living Faith
Keywords: South Sudan, Pope Francis, Pope, Apostolic Trip
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Recent reports suggested the pope would make a visit to South Sudan later this year, but these plans have been postponed due to security concerns.
According to Vatican spokesman, Greg Burke, confirmed the trip, previously scheduled with Anglican Archbishop Justin Welby, will no longer be happening at this time.
South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan in 2011. Since 2013, the young country has been war-torn, with around 300,000 people being killed and three million displaced, according to the Catholic Herald.
Pope Francis was invited to the country by senior clergy from the Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian Churches when they met him in Rome last year. The Pontiff stated the Church leaders asked him "to please, come to South Sudan, even for a day, but don't come alone, come with Justin Welby."
"We are looking at whether it is possible, or if the situation down there is too dangerous ... But we have to do it because they - the three [Christian communities] - together desire peace, and they are working together for peace," Pope Francis expressed in February.
The Holy Father hoped his trip would help bring peace to South Sudan.
Alternative options were presented to the pope's office on how he could visit the country safely, including only visiting for a few hours and only staying in the airport, but both were not accepted.
Pope Francis reluctantly canceled his trip to South Sudan "after the information coming to his desk left him with few alternatives."
He is currently still scheduled to visit Columbia from September 6 to 11.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Introducing "Journey with the Messiah" - A Revolutionary Way to Experience the Bible
-
Pope Francis Calls Young Cancer Patients "Witnesses of Hope" During Audience at the Vatican
-
Senate to Vote on Protecting Babies Who Survive Abortions
-
Mel Gibson Prepares to Bring The Resurrection of the Christ to the Big Screen in 2025
-
Catholic Response to Devastating Los Angeles Wildfires
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Saturday, January 11, 2025
- St. Theodosius the Cenobiarch: Saint of the Day for Saturday, January 11, 2025
- Prayer for a Blessing on the New Year: Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, December 31, 2024
- Daily Readings for Friday, January 10, 2025
- St. William of Bourges: Saint of the Day for Friday, January 10, 2025
- St. Theresa of the Child Jesus: Prayer of the Day for Monday, December 30, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.