Pope Francis may visit three U.S. cities next year

Pope Francis confirmed Monday that he’s considering plans to visit the United States, and may make the trip a multi-city tour of North America that could include a stop in Mexico.

In a news conference aboard the papal plane as he was returning to Rome following a visit to South Korea, Francis said he “would like” to attend the scheduled World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia next September, and could add Washington, New York and Mexico City to the itinerary, the Associated Press reported.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said last month the pope would attend the meeting, but the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Vatican have not confirmed his plans.

If the pope does make the trip, it would be the first papal visit to the U.S. since Pope Benedict traveled to New York and Washington, where he met with President George W. Bush.

The pope said President Obama and U.S. congressional leaders have invited him to Washington, and that United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has asked him to come to New York, the Catholic News Service reported.

“Maybe the three cities together, no?” Francis said, according to the Catholic News Service. He also expressed interest in visiting the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, but added that “it is not certain.”

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