Aboard flight back to Vatican, Pope Francis talks of upcoming travels, issues
January 20, 2015 5:10am
Speaking with reporters about "Shepherd One" while en route to Rome, Pope Francis talked about his upcoming trips, including his visit to the United States, a hoped for visit to Africa and his wish list for Latin American countries he would like to visit in 2015-2016.
 
"There are three cities, Philadelphia for the meeting of the families, New York, there is a date but I can't remember and the visit to the United Nations and Washington. These are the three. I would like to go to California to carry out the canonization of Junipero Serra but I don't think there will be enough time. You would need two more days and I think I will carry out the canonization at the Washington sanctuary."
 
The Africa trip will be late this year.
 
"The plan is to go to the Central African Republic and Uganda. These two, this year. I think it will be near the end of the year, because of the weather, they need to calculate the weather that there aren't rains and nasty weather. It is a bit late this trip because of the Ebola problem. This is a big responsibility having big reunions at this time but in these countries there aren't any problems."
 
More travel plans involve a return to South America.
 
"There are trips still in the planning stage to Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay. These three and next year God willing, I want to travel to, but it still hasn't been planned, Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. Peru is up there too but we are not sure what to do with that yet," Pope Francis said.

In the news conference onboard the papal plane, Pope Francis also spoke on a variety of subjects ranging from birth control, freedom of expression and corruption.
 
Responsible parenthood: "Some think that - excuse me if I use this word - that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits. No. Responsible paternity that is clear."
 
Ideological colonization: "Why do I say ideological colonization? Because they take the needs of a people, or they take an opportunity to enter, to become stronger, with the children. This isn't new - they did the same thing, the dictators of the last century. They entered with their doctrines, think about (Italian Fascist youth organization) Balilla, think about the Hitler youth. They colonized the people, well they wanted to do it. But how much suffering."
 
Freedom of expression: "In theory we should say what is said in the bible that we should turn the other cheek. In theory we can say that we have freedom to express ourselves and this is important. We all agree in theory. But we are human beings and we have one of the virtues of living together called prudence. I cannot insult and provoke a person continuously because I risk making them angry and I risk receiving a reaction that isn't correct, that is not correct. This is human. For this reason I say freedom of expression must take into consideration human reality and therefore, I say, it must be prudent."

 — with Reuters/ELR, GMA News


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