VATICAN CITY, Aug 7 (Reuters) – Pope Francis, back from his summer vacation, begins a hectic few months of travel and major debate over the future direction of the Catholic Church. Some Vatican watchers see an aging pontiff looking to cement his legacy of opening the church to the modern world.
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In September, the 87-year-old pope, who is often in a wheelchair due to knee and back problems, will travel abroad at least twice, including a 12-day visit to four countries in Asia, likely to be his longest trip yet.
The pope, who resumed his weekly general audiences on Wednesday after a month-long summer break, will also visit Belgium and Luxembourg.
In October, Francis will lead a four-week meeting at the Vatican with hundreds of Catholic bishops to discuss possible reforms for the Church, which has 1.4 billion members worldwide.
