Pope Francis could very well add New York City to his rumored trip to Philadelphia next year, according to Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.
"I wouldn't be surprised at all if he does in fact address the UN General Assembly and perhaps even the Congress,'' Donohue said Monday on "The Steve Malzberg Show'' on
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"Maybe we'll see a mass at Yankee Stadium.''
Donohue's predictions came after Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput said Francis told him he will attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015.
The Holy See Press Office later said while the pontiff has ''has shown his willingness to participate,'' no plan for such a trip has been made as yet.
Donohue said he was moved by Francis' weekly address from the balcony in Saint Peter's Square, during which he asked for a halt in the deadly fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas.
"Please stop," Francis said. "I ask you with all my heart, it's time to stop. Stop, please!"
"He's been calling attention to it quite a bit. I'm OK with the pope,'' Donohue said.
He said he is perplexed that the Obama administration has not made more noise on the issue of Christian persecution in the Middle East, in particular by ISIS in Iraq.
"I just don't know where President [Barack] Obama is on this issue…. You can't be indifferent in the face of this mass murder,'' said Donohue, who is also a Newsmax contributor.
"They're telling Christians you have until midnight to either convert or we will kill you. I mean the beheading is commonplace.
"I just can't imagine if Christians were doing this in reverse or Jews were doing this what the reaction would be.''
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