Green Bay mayor wants Pope Francis to visit shrine in Wis.

GREEN BAY (WITI) -- Green Bay's mayor has quite the proposal for the Pope!

Jim Schmitt is hoping residents can help lure Pope Francis to the area during a possible visit to the United States next year.

Schmitt wants Pope Francis to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion.

In 2010, the Catholic Church validated an appearance by the Virgin Mary at the shrine back in the mid-1800s.

The mayor is organizing a petition for people to show support for the Pope's potential visit.

"There's a group of people getting together and this will include a website that will include ways to get your friends to sign a petition. Just to tell the Pope how important a visit to Green Bay would be not only to the community, but to the United States," Schmitt said.

Schmitt says more details on the website in the near future.