Pope to meet Brazilian youths and politicians, open major assembly

Published: 2007-04-11

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI will meet with young people, recovering drug addicts and political leaders before opening a major assembly of Latin American bishops in Brazil in May. The pope will also canonize a Brazilian Franciscan, Blessed Antonio Galvao, during his May 9-13 visit. The Vatican released the complete schedule for the papal trip April 11. It will be his first papal trip to the Western Hemisphere, and the main purpose is to inaugurate the fifth general conference of bishops from Latin America and the Caribbean. The pope celebrates an opening Mass May 13 and presides over the first session of the conference later in the day.

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