After a nearly two-week trek through Asia and Oceania earlier this month that marked the longest and farthest trip of his papacy, Pope Francis again hits the road this week on a visit to two of Europe’s smallest countries. There, he will be forced to confront some of the church’s biggest challenges, including the clergy sexual abuse crisis, a shortage of priests, and a decline in church attendance.
“The contrast between these two trips will indeed be significant,” Vincent Delcorps, editor-in-chief of CathoBel, a Belgian Catholic news site, said ahead of Francis’ Sept. 26-29 visit to Luxembourg and Belgium.
Less than two weeks after visiting countries where the church is rapidly growing, even in areas where it is a minority, Francis’ outing will be to the heart of Europe, where Catholicism has long been in decline. His 46th international trip as pope will offer a stark contrast to the peripheries that he has long preferred.
On the ground, local organizers see the visit as an opportunity to inject new life into ancient structures, but there are high risks involved.
To continue reading this article, click here.
With thanks to the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) and Christopher White, where this article originally appeared.
