Pope Francis won’t be going to Montreal for 375th anniversary after all

A letter relayed from Pope Francis’ diplomat to the president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops announced the Pope will not be visiting Montreal for its 375th anniversary.

“Pope Francis wishes to communicate that it will not be possible for him to visit Canada in 2017, but it is his earnest hope to consider the possibility of including Canada among the destinations of his Apostolic Visits at the time of planning his travels for 2018-2019,” Archibishop  Luigi Bonazzi stated in a press release from the Montreal Archdioceses.

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Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre and  Archbishop Christian Lépine extended an invitation to Pope Francis after visiting the Vatican in 2015.

According to the press release, the Pope will make efforts to visit Canada in 2018-19.

Despite the absence of the Pope, the Archdioceses of Montreal will go ahead with activities for the 375th anniversary, including a special mass at the Notre-Dame Basilica on May 17, 2017.