DIOCESE—As the U.S. cities of Washington, D.C., New York, and Philadelphia prepare for the apostolic visit of Pope Francis, Bishop David Malloy will also be packing his bags.
Bishop Malloy is one of the 35 bishops and archbishops in the U.S. designated to represent the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in welcoming the Holy Father to this country for the first time.
“Since it would be impossible for the Holy Father to meet each and every bishop, a delegation was selected to represent the U.S. conference of bishops,” Bishop Malloy told The Observer.
He explained that his participation in the delegation is a result of being part of the conference’s Administrative Committee. He is the representative for Region 7 on that committee.
Pope Francis begins his pastoral visit in the U.S. on Sept. 22 when he arrives at Andrews Air Force Base.
On Sept. 23 the pope will have a private meeting with President Obama at the White House. After that, the pontiff is scheduled to meet with Bishop Malloy and all the prelates in the delegation for mid-day prayer at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.
Following the meeting and prayer, Bishop Malloy will take part in the afternoon Mass on the east portico of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and the University Mall at The Catholic University of America. It will be during this Mass that the Holy Father will canonize Blessed Junipero Serra.
Bishop Malloy will return to the Rockford Diocese while the Pope continues his trip on Thursday, with an address to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress; visit St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in D.C. and meet with several clients of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington in late morning; give a blessing and brief remarks to the clients gathered at lunchtime for the St. Maria Meals Program of the Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington and then depart for New York City where he will address the United Nations; visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum and participate in an interreligious ceremony; visit Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic School in Harlem and celebrate Mass at Madison Square Garden.
The trip will end in Philadelphia with the World Meeting of Families and a final Mass to close the meeting on Sunday, Sept. 27 at Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Pope Francis will also make visits to Independence Hall and the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility and celebrate Mass at Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul while in Philadelphia.
Visit www.rockforddiocese.org to find out how to follow Bishop Malloy as he meets Pope Francis and for links to live coverage of the Papal Visit to the U.S.