ROME (AP) — Pope Francis says he’s still planning to visit Iraq in March, even if most Iraqis have to watch him on television to avoid the coronavirus. The important thing, he said, is “they will see that the pope is there in their country.”After St. John Paul II canceled a planned 2000 visit to Iraq, Francis said he has every intention of keeping his word to visit because he doesn’t want to disappoint the Iraqi people a second time. He said only a serious new surge in infections would put the trip in question. Francis made the comments to Catholic News Service during an audience to mark the 100th anniversary of the news agency of the U.S. bishops conference.
