Despite health concerns that led to the cancellation of his trip to Dubai for COP 28, Pope Francis maintained an ambitious travel program in 2024 that saw him attract huge crowds in Asia and make his first visit to Corsica, as well as visit Belgium and Luxembourg.
Receive the main news from ACI Prensa by WhatsApp and Telegram
It is increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channels today:
Asia-Pacific trip draws historic crowds
The longest apostolic trip for the pontiff, now 88, was the 12-day tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania in September, where thousands of faithful attended papal events.
In Indonesia, Francis visited the grounds of Jakarta’s Istiqlal mosque, where he joined Muslim leaders to discuss global challenges and signed a joint statement condemning religion-based violence.
“The path of interreligious collaboration is essential to address global crises,” Francis told his audience.
Later, some 100,000 faithful attended an open-air Mass where the Pope emphasized Catholic commitment to pluralistic societies.
In Papua New Guinea, Francis focused on indigenous communities as he blessed a new hospital for marginalized populations.
The Pope’s message of hope reached its numerical peak in East Timor, where approximately 750,000 people—nearly two-thirds of the country’s population—gathered for Mass in Dili.
Papal trip to secular Europe
September also brought some controversy during the Pope’s visit to Belgium, where Prime Minister Alexander De Croo strongly criticized the Pontiff’s comments on abortion.
During his press conference on the flight back to Rome, the Pope called abortion “murder” and referred to the doctors who perform the procedure as “hitmen,” prompting De Croo to call that statement “totally unacceptable”.
The dispute distracted attention from the true purpose of the visit to Belgium: the 600th anniversary celebrations of the Catholic universities of Leuven and Leuven-la-Neuve. Earlier, in Luxembourg, Francis had encouraged Catholics to evangelize an increasingly secular Europe, noting that wealth “is a responsibility.”
The Pope and Macron share a moment of humor
The year of papal travel concluded in historic fashion on December 15 in Corsica, where Francis became the first Pope to visit the French Mediterranean island. His participation in a diocesan conference that addressed popular piety emphasized the continued importance of local devotions in maintaining Catholic identity.
Traditional Corsican hymns were heard throughout Pope Francis’ visit, especially at his Mass with some 7,000 Catholics in the Place d’Austerlitz, a park built in memory of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in Ajaccio.
At the end of his visit, before returning to Rome, the Pope met with French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he shared the key to maintaining a sense of humor.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Anian Christoph Wimmer
Anian Christoph Wimmer, a multilingual Australian with Bavarian roots, is the editor-in-chief of CNA Deutsch. He held senior positions at Australia’s SBS and was editor-in-chief of the historic Münchner Kirchenzeitung. Graduated in Philosophy and Chinese Studies from the University of Melbourne, Anian Christoph Wimmer was on the jury for the Catholic Media Award of the German Bishops’ Conference and was an honorary researcher in Communications at the University of Melbourne. He has served on the Board of Directors of Caritas in Munich.