Washington Archdiocese: joy for upcoming Papal visit

(Vatican Radio)  The Archdiocese of Washington has welcomed with joy the announcement that Pope Francis will visit the U.S. capital in September.  In  a statement Thursday, the Archdiocese, home to over 620,000 Catholics, said:

“It is a great honor and tremendous joy to welcome our Holy Father, Pope Francis, to the Archdiocese of Washington during his proposed pastoral visit to the United States in September.”

During his September visit to the U.S., Pope Francis is expected to speak at the United Nations in New York and join celebrations in Philadelphia for the World Day of Families.

The Archdiocese of Washington further stated, "We rejoice with the announcement by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Honorable John Boehner, today that Pope Francis will address a Joint Session of Congress, September 24, 2015. This historic event will be a time of grace for all of us. We also look forward to the official announcement of more details of the visit.”

The Archdiocese of Washington is home to 139 parishes and 95 Catholic schools located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.