.- The president of the Bishops’ Conference of Mexico, Bishop Carlos Aguiar Retes, said this week Pope Benedict XVI has not yet determined whether or not he will travel to Mexico for the World Meeting of Families that will take place in January, but he hopes the decision will be made after the Holy Father’s trip to Sydney for World Youth Day 2008.
“We haven’t been told yes or no regarding a possible visit by the Holy Father Benedict XVI,” Bishop Aguiar said. He said discussions have taken place but that a decision would not be made until after the Pope’s trip to Australia.
He said the Pope would be following the event very closely nonetheless and that if he could not be present physically he would at least address the meeting via satellite from Rome.
Bishop Aguiar also said the Cardinal Claudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, has accepted an invitation to come to Mexico to preside at the Mexican bishops’ week for formation. “We will be pleased to have his presence among us,” he said.
While he was in Rome, Bishop Aguiar related that he met with Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Care, who is recovering from surgery and that the cardinal told him to thank the Mexican people for their prayers for his health.
