The year has just begun, and Pope Francis already has an intense agenda for the upcoming twelve months.
All Vatican employees, including the pope, will receive the coronavirus vaccine at the beginning of the year. This will undoubtedly be good news.
Nevertheless, after the vaccination, we can expect surprises from Pope Francis in his process of rebuilding society.
POPE FRANCIS
“If anyone should receive first priority, it’s the poorest, the most vulnerable, the person who is discriminated against for lacking power and economic resources.”
The vaccine will make it possible for tourists to return to Rome. This will allow the pope’s meetings with pilgrims to resume, from general audiences to religious ceremonies.
The trip of the year will be in March. The pope will visit Iraq. He will be in the Christian city of Qaraqosh, which was destroyed by ISIS. It's a trip he'd already announced in June 2019, but it was delayed.
POPE FRANCIS
“I constantly think about Iraq, where I want to go next year.”
The Vatican is determining whether the pope will make the trips he had to suspend in 2020: Malta, Hungary, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and South Sudan.
Another geopolitical opportunity for Pope Francis will be the G20 meeting that will take place in Rome on Oct. 30 and 31. The event could include an encounter with the pope.
This will be an opportunity for Pope Francis and President-elect Joe Biden to possibly meet this year.
In 2021 the pope hopes to publish a new constitution to reform the Vatican Curia, which will be less centralized and focused on evangelization.
In October, he will welcome bishops from all over the world to Rome for the Synod on “synodality,” a form of governance that the pope wants to promote throughout the Catholic Church.
POPE FRANCIS
'Today we think synodality is holding hands and walking together and celebrating with youth, no? Or rather to ask a series of questions: what do you think about female priests? If the majority agrees, you do it. No, synodality is an ecclesial path, with the driving force being the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no synodality.'
In September or October, Pope Francis will attempt to meet with young economists and entrepreneurs for the second edition of The Economy of Francesco. The aim is to propose an economic model that is more respectful of people.
In December 2021, Pope Francis will turn 85. Some observers remember that this is how old Pope Benedict XVI was when he announced his resignation.
Pope Benedict XVI will turn 94 in April, so his health will continue to make headlines.
JMB
Translation: Christian Campos
