Mayor of Caserta: We will build on visit by Pope Francis

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis was scheduled to visit the Italian city of Caserta on Saturday afternoon, the first of two visits to the city in the Campania region.

The Saturday trip was announced after the previously announced trip to visit Pastor Giovanni Traettino, a Pentecostal minister who is an old friend of the Pope. This second visit will take place on Monday, and according to a Vatican statement, will be “will be a strictly private, simple and quick.”

The mayor of Caserta, Pio Del Gaudio, said the area was excited the Pope agreed to add a public visit to the city to his schedule.

“It’s a revival of the image of the city,” he told Vatican Radio. “Unfortunately, the province has some problems [the south of Italy suffers disproportionately from poverty and organized crime], but I have seen so much enthusiasm in the preparations for this visit…We are certain that Pope Francis can well-interpret   the anxieties of our territory.”

The mayor acknowledged Caserta has suffered from the effects of the Camorra, the local version of the Mafia, but he said the vast majority of the people are good.  He added the state is intervening in the most affected areas.

“Even if it’s bad to have to wait for the Pope to listen more attentively, I believe we can build on this visit,” said Del Gaudio.  “We will invite the Pope to check back with us in a few years.”