The first big public event on his schedule will take place on October 3rd in the Italian city of Palermo, Sicily, where he will close the Italian Meeting of Families. He will also meet with seminarians and priests at the Cathedral and young people in the city's main square.

Also in October, the Pope will meet with Church leaders at the Synod of Bishops and its Special Assembly for the Middle East. The Church leaders and representatives from the region will address problems such as the exodus of Christians from the Holy Land, relations with the Orthodox churches and creating interreligious harmony with Islam.

Then on October 17 the Pope will canonize six new saints, among them the Canadian Holy Cross religious Br. André Bessette, the Spanish nun Juana Josefa Cipitria y Barriola, founder of the Congregation of the Daughters of Jesus, and Australian nun Mary MacKillop, who will become in the first saint of the continent.

In November, Benedict XVI will travel to Spain. It will be his second pastoral visit to the country. On 6th he will make a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela – the final destination for Camino de Santiago pilgrims who also hope to receive the indulgence with the Jubilee year dedicated to Saint James.

The Pope will preside over a special Mass outdoors in the Cathedral square. Inside he will embrace the statue of Saint James, believed to be buried there.

The next day, on November 7th , the Pope will be in Barcelona where he will proclam inuagurate the Basilica of the Holy Family – designed and built by the late Antoni Gaudí. Later he will visit a foundation which helps people with disabilities.

By the end of the year, it appears likely that the Pope will call a consistory for the creation of new cardinals bringing the College back up to its 120 members under the age of 80 who can participate in a conclave. The new cardinals are chosen from around the world and give a true sense of the universal Church.

In late November, another important even on the calendar includes the release of a book-long interview with Benedict XVI by Peter Seewald. The German journalist met with the Pope last July in Castel Gandolfo for a series of interviews which will be featured in the book.

The busy Fall schedule consisting of papal journeys, meetings and a Synod of Bishops, culminates a year marked by big challenges and events, from the struggle in addressing the problem of sexual abuse, to papal journeys to Cyprus and Portugal and to the culmination of celebrations of the Year for Priests.

PVB
JM

-WP-