Why Has Pope Francis Never Visited His Homeland?

For the most part, though, Pope Francis has not faced confrontations on his visits. His preference for visiting countries that have not had papal visits before has meant that he is usually welcomed enthusiastically just for coming. Those visits have been a powerful witness to the catholicity of the Church, and how even the little flocks are precious to the Church. His decision not to visit the leading countries of Europe has meant avoiding confrontations with hostile secularism. So determined is Pope Francis not to visit Europe’s center that he has insisted that even his two brief visits to France — Strasbourg and Marseille — were not really visits to France, but to the European Parliament and to a meeting on refugees.