Papal Visit To Aust. Expected

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32078, 28 August 1969, Page 17

Papal Visit To Aust. Expected

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, August 27. Pope Paul is expected to visit Australia in 1971 or 1972, according to the director of the Australian Catholic Relief Organisation (the Rev. Brian Walsh).

Father Walsh, who was in Uganda during the Fope’sl recent three-day visit, said ' to, day: “The Pope is very aware that Australia is the only continent he has not visited. “I know this from talking with Cardinal Agaginian, who was Prefect of the Propagation of the Faith and who travels with the Pope on;his tours. !’■

“I also spoke to other .cardinals, and they also said that Pope Paul was conscious that he had not visited Australia.” Father Walsh said he had another reason for believing that such a visit was a certainty but, he said, he could

not talk about it. “It is confidential,” he said. From Tokyo, it is reported by Reuters that Pope Paul has been officially invited to visit Japan next year. A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that if he came, the Pope would be able to join in the commemoration of the twentyfifth anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima by the atomic bomb.

The Tokyo statement was issued after the Vatican had reported that Pope Paul would like to go to Japan for the anniversary, but was awaiting an official invitation.