Bishop Michael Duca departs for Washington, D.C. Tuesday to gather with fellow bishops from across the country. They will greet Pope Francis and hear his message.
Bishop Duca presides over the Diocese of Shreveport that covers north Louisiana.
He’ll participate in a midday prayer service Wednesday for bishops at St. Matthew’s Cathedral. Later in the day, he’ll take part in the canonization mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Bishop Duca says Pope Francis has a way of speaking with comfort, but at the same time, challenging the establishment.
“I go with no expectations because I never know what he’s going to say. I really go with an open heart to hear a message that will be hopeful, encouraging, but also challenging. He always comes out and speaks in a way that goes counter culture to what we expect the word to be,” Duca said.
Bishop Duca believes Pope Francis’ visit will be uplifting to all people. He says he’s never been part of such a high-security detail with throngs of people wanting to get a glimpse of the popular pontiff. Bishop Duca says his travel is carefully mapped out, but he might be one of the few who gets a personal moment with Pope Francis.
“I believe because I’m on a certain committee in the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I may be one of the ones who will be able to greet him personally at St. Matthews. So I will get my picture and be able to say I touched this pope,” Duca said, who was able to greet Pope Benedict XVI once.
Bishop Duca will travel on to Philadelphia for the close of the World Meeting of Families conference. The bishops will have a final meeting with the pope Sunday at St. Martin’s Chapel at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pa.
