Pope Looks Forward to ‘Positive’ S.F. Visit

The Pope is looking forward to “a very positive and joyful visit” in the United States next September, Archbishop Joseph Quinn of San Francisco said this week on his return from Rome.

Quinn and prelates from eight other cities the Pope will visit conferred last week with Vatican officials on the papal visit. He said he told the Pope that there will probably be demonstrations by various groups, including gay activists who oppose the church’s stand on homosexuality, during the Sept. 10-19 visit.

“We are aware that demonstrations will take place,” Quinn said. “That is true of any city the Pope would be visiting.”

However, Quinn said, demonstrations “were not a focus of our discussion” and he believes such demonstrations “are not going to be a major feature of this visit.”