Argentine president Javier Milei has formally invited Pope Francis to visit his homeland.
In a letter dated 8 January, the newly-elected president said: “You well know that you do not need an invitation to come to your beloved Argentina.”
But he continues: “At the risk of saying the unnecessary, I invite you to visit our beloved homeland, according to the dates and places that will be indicated to us, bearing in mind the widespread desire of our cities, provinces and towns to count on your presence and to convey to you their filial affection.”
Last April, Pope Francis, 87, indicated that he would like to visit Argentina. He has not been back since he was elected pope in April 2013. He told the Argentine newspaper La Nación “I want to go to the country next year.”
Although he remains busy and is planning several visits abroad this year, the letter from Milei comes amid continuing concerns about the pope’s health. Earlier today, he cut short an address to Catholic communicators from France at the end of their four-day retreat in Rome, citing bronchitis. “I would like to read the whole speech, but I have a problem; I have a bit of bronchitis, and I can’t speak well,” he said. It was one of four addresses he was due to give today.
In his letter, the Argentine president says he values the “very significant” telephone call he received from Pope Francis on 22 November after his election as president. “I value your wise counsel and your wishes for courage and wisdom for me, so necessary to face the challenge of directing the destinies of our country and our fellow citizens.” He also thanked him for sending the Apostolic Nuncio in Chile, Monsignor Alberto Ortega Martin, to his inauguration ceremony last month.
“We Argentines are going through times of affliction and hope. We observe around us how poverty with its different faces and consequences reaches half of all our compatriots. Our economy is in a critical state and urgent measures must be taken to avoid a social catastrophe with painful consequences,” Milei continued.
He said a visit by Pope Francis would “bring fruits of pacification and brotherhood to all Argentines, anxious to overcome our divisions and confrontations”.
He continued: “Your presence and your message will contribute to the much desired unity of all our compatriots and will give us the necessary collective strength to preserve our peace and work for the prosperity and aggrandisement of our beloved Argentine Republic.” He hoped Pope Francis would find time in his busy schedule to visit “for the general joy of all the Argentine people”.
In last week’s Tablet, the pope’s biographer Austen Ivereigh, who will be talking about his latest book First Belong to God: On Retreat with Pope Francis at the next Tablet book club, wrote: “His overseas trips will be shorter and probably fewer in 2024. He has spoken of a trip to Belgium in September to mark the founding of the world’s oldest Catholic university at Leuven, and he is looking into a trip to Polynesia. But the highlight will be Argentina: not confirmed yet, but very likely, perhaps after Easter.”
Today, Ivereigh told The Tablet: “The telephone call of 22 November was a breakthrough because during the presidential campaign, Milei had said harsh things about the pope. Francis was incredibly gracious and I think Milei was bowled overby that.”
Ivereign said the letter from Milei does indicate there have been active talks about a visit, with the letter suggesting the themes could include the impact of structural reforms of the economy, especially on the poor. Another likely theme could be the need for reconciliation and fraternity, with Argentina beset by cultural and political divisions. “The pope would see the visit as helping to bring about unity,” said Ivereigh.
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