Originally published at The Crux
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There was a lot of buzz this week, in the Catholic world and beyond, after the Vatican gave long-expected official confirmation of plans for a papal visit to Latin America.
The three-nation tour will include stops in Argentina, Uruguay, and Peru – where the man we now know as Pope Leo XIV lived and served for many years as a missionary priest and bishop.
Many people are pointing out that Pope Leo XVI will be visiting Argentina early in his pontificate, even though Pope Francis never set foot in his homeland after his election to the papacy in 2013.
Some have also noted that Leo is doing this before he himself visits his birthplace, the United States.
There have even been efforts to spin the decision as a papal snub of the sitting U.S. president, Donald Trump, who has certainly been frequently – and harshly – critical of the reigning pontiff.
Trump has been upset by the pontiff not supporting his war against Iran and has said on multiple occasions that the pope thinks it is “OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” Trump has also said Leo is “weak on crime.”
Press reports have frequently read Leo’s
