At 11:30am this morning, in the John Paul II Hall at the offices of the Holy See's Press Centre, there was a Press Conference held in preparation for the VIII World Meeting of Families which will take place in Philadelphia (USA) from September 22 to 27 of this year. The theme for this meeting will be Love is our mission. The family fully alive.
Presentations at this morning's Press Conference were made by His Excellency, Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family; His Excellency, Charles Joseph Chaput, OFM, Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia (USA); His Excellency, John J. McIntyre, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia; and Doctor and Mistress Lucille Francesco, a married couple from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who have been married for fifty years.
The Family at the Centre
The celebration of the VIII World Meeting of Families is a precious opportunity to put the families at the centre of the Church and of civil society. Let us put the families at the centre: It’s a duty! It’s beneficial!
In Philadelphia, on the days of the conference, during the festival on Saturday evening, in the many meetings and events that enrich those intense days, we can and must first listen to their authentic and real stories. Their testimony will be a valuable opportunity to enjoy the spectacle of the beauty of love that grows in fidelity and generates life, and to thank the Lord for everything. This sincere and ardent listening will also give us opportunities to share the hardships and suffering of today’s families: this is what the Church, disciple of a Master who has compassion (that is: who suffers with), must always do, and especially on special days like those in Philadelphia.
Let us put the families in the centre; this meeting is theirs and it is for them: they are the protagonists, and they are the main recipients. The family builds the Church together and sustains society. With respect to this, I would like to announce that, during the days of the conference, we will present the results of some international research that has scientifically studied this positive influence. The family constantly asks for help and support from the entire ecclesial community (in the next few days I will write to all the monasteries of the world to ask them to accompany these very important days with their prayers) and from whole civil society, which cannot remain indifferent to such beauty and goodness that is so effective and viable.
The World in Philadelphia
The meeting that we are presenting in detail today is global; we want to be global, we want it to be seen and reported worldwide.
The family is the heritage of all humanity, at every latitude, in every culture; it is blessed by all religions. That is why we wanted a significant presence of other Christian denominations and of major world religious traditions, as Bishop McIntyre will soon explain in detail.
This event should help all, especially the West, to keep looking with a gaze full of awe and welcome toward the entire world; too often we live locked up in our problems, running the risk of becoming old and sterile. Thanks to the joint effort of the Pontifical Council and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we are working so that delegations truly from around the globe and especially from the world's poorest local Churches will be present.
Philadelphia will be a great worldwide celebration of families: in the spectacle, we will be able to get a glimpse, we will have to show the beauty and the possibility of all humanity becoming a single family of peoples. It is the dream of peace; it is God’s dream.
This universality will be enshrined in the final gesture of the whole meeting: at the end of the Mass on Sunday, September 27, Pope Francis will give the Gospel of Luke, the Good News of God's mercy, which is Jesus, to families from big cities on the 5 continents: Kinshasa (Africa), Havana (America), Hanoi (Asia), Sydney (Australia) and Marseille (Europe). This is a symbolic gesture that will announce the sending of a million copies of this book to the five cities involved: we want the Gospel of Mercy to be announced in the great cities of the world, especially in poorer and peripheral neighborhoods. We want to provide the nourishment of the Gospel to the families of the world so that they may build bonds of love between them, in the Church and in society. On this occasion, I cannot omit thanking the American Bible Society for making this highly significant gesture possible.
From Philadelphia to Rome
With the testimony of the families and looking toward the entire world, laden with their anxieties and expectations, we can face October’s Synod, whose Instrumentum Laboris was officially promulgated two days ago. The intimate connection between these two events is clearly not only chronological.
It is hoped that the meeting in Philadelphia and the Synod in October will truly form a social and ecclesial season, characterized by the renewed role of the family. We want to work towards this objective.
His Excellency Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, where the eighth World Meeting of Families will be held from September 22 to 27, 2015, concluding with the presence of the Holy Father, Pope Francis on September 26 and 27, gave details regarding the preparation of the Meeting:
I’m very pleased by the progress we’ve made in planning for the World Meeting of Families congress in Philadelphia. The family congress is the reason for the Holy Father’s journey to the United States, and Pope Francis’ public Mass on September 27 will cap a weeklong celebration of global family life. The Holy Father’s visit will have a wonderful preamble in the congress’ events, and Philadelphia can expect a beautiful and extraordinary week of festivities.
The following key updates regarding the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 have been provided, as of June 15:
Registration
To date, there are 11,821 paid registrants for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. Within that figure, 1,148 are registered for the Youth Congress (Ages 6 -17). Currently, more than 100 nations are represented in the current registrant count, with the United States reflecting the top registering country followed by Canada, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic and Nigeria. There are 50 or more registrants for the Congress from the following nations (in alphabetical order): Argentina, Australia, Colombia, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland and Vietnam.
The World Meeting of Families Marketplace, at the World Meeting of Families Congress which is located at the Pennsylvania Convention Centre, has far exceeded initial expectations with over 250 exhibitors to-date covering over 150,000 square feet of exhibit space within the Convention Centre.
Volunteer Engagement
Currently, there are 6,100 individuals eligible to volunteer. 3,400 volunteers have signed up for events but it is important to note that not all events are posted as the full Papal itinerary has not yet been released. Pennsylvania leads with more than 2,000 registered volunteers. While New Jersey is a close second, which might be expected, states such as New York (180 registered volunteers) and Texas (123 registered volunteered) are also represented. More than 300 eligible volunteers speak Spanish and the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 continues to capture volunteer information related to foreign language skills. Interestingly, there are at least 37 volunteers who are 80 years of age and older. More than 30 percent (33%) of volunteers have generously donated the cost of the required background check back to the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015.
Transportation
The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 recently announced the launch of its Official Bus Operator Registration site, wmof.goground.com , in partnership with GO GROUND, the official transportation management partner of World Meeting of Families. All commercial charter buses and privately-owned buses must register to ensure parishes, tour operators and other private groups have access to designated parking spaces for September 26-27, which will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. With buses being one of the most effective modes of transportation, event organizers are planning for upwards of 5,000 charter buses. GO GROUND registration will be open until Friday, July 31 and more information can be found at wmof.goground.com.
The World Meeting of Families is also pleased to announce the introduction of KnowB4UGoPHL and The Papal Visit Playbook campaigns for detailed in-the-know plans about public transportation routes and schedules. Event visitors are encouraged to visit KnowB4UGoPHL at www.worldmeeting2015.org for updates on how to access Philadelphia and navigate through the events. KnowB4UGoPHL will be a valuable resource for visitors wanting to get easy directions from Point A to Point B as efficiently as possible. With updates on mass transit schedules, insider tips and information on locations, walking routes and maps, visitors will have easy access to helpful tools in preparation for this global event through KnowB4UGoPHL.
The Papal Visit Playbook is a more in-depth overview for local residents living and working in and out of Philadelphia. The Playbook will inform residents of transportation and lodging logistics, location perimeters and maps, event timeline of commemorative attractions, museum exhibits, entertainment, and merchandise offerings among many more details. Philadelphia will be in the international limelight and when it opens its doors to visitors from more than 150 nations in faith and celebration. It is important that the World Meeting of Families be fun, engaging and exciting for both local residents and international visitors alike. This is under development and will launch later this summer.
Housing
More than 1,600 people have already registered to offer their homes through the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 Host a Family program. While there are hundreds of rooms already secured, additional registrants are welcome to help meet the anticipated demand for this housing option, which is aimed at offering comfortable accommodations in a cost-effective manner. Interested individuals and families can find detailed information about participating in “Host a Family at http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/get-involved/host-a-family/.
There are also 65,000 hotel rooms within a 60 mile radius of Philadelphia and the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 continues to work closely with all local tourism agencies to ensure that there is access to hotel rooms across the region, including New Jersey and Delaware. Hotel rooms do remain available but it is important to note that the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 has no influence or control over the market prices set for hotel rooms.
We are delighted at where we currently stand in planning the four-day Congress as well as the Papal visit, said Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. Whether delving into Congress registration, volunteer engagement or housing options, we continue to be overwhelmed by the enthusiasm exhibited for this event and the generosity of so many in giving their time and talent to the World Meeting of Families. Certainly, there is more work to do but with three months until the event, we feel confident in our planning efforts as we continue to track positively toward reaching our goals.
Co-sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the World Meeting of Families is a triennial global event that seeks to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe and highlight its intrinsic value to the good of society. This international gathering will welcome Pope Francis to the United States for the first time in his Papacy. Being held in the United States for the first time ever, the official theme for the 2015 World Meeting of Families is Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.
For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, visit www.WorldMeeting2015.org. For more information regarding The Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, which co-sponsors the World Meeting of Families, visit http://www.familiam.org/famiglia_eng/00002554_HOME_ENG.html. You can also engage the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia on Facebook (World Meeting of Families 2015) (Encuentro Mundial de las Familias – Filadelfia 2015), Twitter (@WMF2015) (@WMF2015ES) and Instagram (WMF2015).
About World Meetings of Families
Beginning with 1994, The Year of the Family, the Pontifical Council for the Family has been responsible for organizing the World Meetings of Families in Rome (1994); Rio de Janeiro (1997); Rome (2000); Manila (2003); Valencia (2006); Mexico City (2009); Milan (2012); and now, Philadelphia (2015). Since its inception by Saint John Paul II, the World Meeting of Families has sought to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe.
Presentations at this morning's Press Conference were made by His Excellency, Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family; His Excellency, Charles Joseph Chaput, OFM, Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia (USA); His Excellency, John J. McIntyre, Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia; and Doctor and Mistress Lucille Francesco, a married couple from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia who have been married for fifty years.
Presentation prepared by His Excellency, Vincenzo Paglia
President of the Pontifical Council for the Family
The Family at the Centre
The celebration of the VIII World Meeting of Families is a precious opportunity to put the families at the centre of the Church and of civil society. Let us put the families at the centre: It’s a duty! It’s beneficial!
In Philadelphia, on the days of the conference, during the festival on Saturday evening, in the many meetings and events that enrich those intense days, we can and must first listen to their authentic and real stories. Their testimony will be a valuable opportunity to enjoy the spectacle of the beauty of love that grows in fidelity and generates life, and to thank the Lord for everything. This sincere and ardent listening will also give us opportunities to share the hardships and suffering of today’s families: this is what the Church, disciple of a Master who has compassion (that is: who suffers with), must always do, and especially on special days like those in Philadelphia.
Let us put the families in the centre; this meeting is theirs and it is for them: they are the protagonists, and they are the main recipients. The family builds the Church together and sustains society. With respect to this, I would like to announce that, during the days of the conference, we will present the results of some international research that has scientifically studied this positive influence. The family constantly asks for help and support from the entire ecclesial community (in the next few days I will write to all the monasteries of the world to ask them to accompany these very important days with their prayers) and from whole civil society, which cannot remain indifferent to such beauty and goodness that is so effective and viable.
The World in Philadelphia
The meeting that we are presenting in detail today is global; we want to be global, we want it to be seen and reported worldwide.
The family is the heritage of all humanity, at every latitude, in every culture; it is blessed by all religions. That is why we wanted a significant presence of other Christian denominations and of major world religious traditions, as Bishop McIntyre will soon explain in detail.
This event should help all, especially the West, to keep looking with a gaze full of awe and welcome toward the entire world; too often we live locked up in our problems, running the risk of becoming old and sterile. Thanks to the joint effort of the Pontifical Council and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, we are working so that delegations truly from around the globe and especially from the world's poorest local Churches will be present.
Philadelphia will be a great worldwide celebration of families: in the spectacle, we will be able to get a glimpse, we will have to show the beauty and the possibility of all humanity becoming a single family of peoples. It is the dream of peace; it is God’s dream.
This universality will be enshrined in the final gesture of the whole meeting: at the end of the Mass on Sunday, September 27, Pope Francis will give the Gospel of Luke, the Good News of God's mercy, which is Jesus, to families from big cities on the 5 continents: Kinshasa (Africa), Havana (America), Hanoi (Asia), Sydney (Australia) and Marseille (Europe). This is a symbolic gesture that will announce the sending of a million copies of this book to the five cities involved: we want the Gospel of Mercy to be announced in the great cities of the world, especially in poorer and peripheral neighborhoods. We want to provide the nourishment of the Gospel to the families of the world so that they may build bonds of love between them, in the Church and in society. On this occasion, I cannot omit thanking the American Bible Society for making this highly significant gesture possible.
From Philadelphia to Rome
With the testimony of the families and looking toward the entire world, laden with their anxieties and expectations, we can face October’s Synod, whose Instrumentum Laboris was officially promulgated two days ago. The intimate connection between these two events is clearly not only chronological.
It is hoped that the meeting in Philadelphia and the Synod in October will truly form a social and ecclesial season, characterized by the renewed role of the family. We want to work towards this objective.
Details about the Meeting of Families
described in a Press Release issued today
I’m very pleased by the progress we’ve made in planning for the World Meeting of Families congress in Philadelphia. The family congress is the reason for the Holy Father’s journey to the United States, and Pope Francis’ public Mass on September 27 will cap a weeklong celebration of global family life. The Holy Father’s visit will have a wonderful preamble in the congress’ events, and Philadelphia can expect a beautiful and extraordinary week of festivities.
The following key updates regarding the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 have been provided, as of June 15:
Registration
To date, there are 11,821 paid registrants for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. Within that figure, 1,148 are registered for the Youth Congress (Ages 6 -17). Currently, more than 100 nations are represented in the current registrant count, with the United States reflecting the top registering country followed by Canada, Vietnam, the Dominican Republic and Nigeria. There are 50 or more registrants for the Congress from the following nations (in alphabetical order): Argentina, Australia, Colombia, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Kenya, Mexico, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Poland and Vietnam.
The World Meeting of Families Marketplace, at the World Meeting of Families Congress which is located at the Pennsylvania Convention Centre, has far exceeded initial expectations with over 250 exhibitors to-date covering over 150,000 square feet of exhibit space within the Convention Centre.
Volunteer Engagement
Currently, there are 6,100 individuals eligible to volunteer. 3,400 volunteers have signed up for events but it is important to note that not all events are posted as the full Papal itinerary has not yet been released. Pennsylvania leads with more than 2,000 registered volunteers. While New Jersey is a close second, which might be expected, states such as New York (180 registered volunteers) and Texas (123 registered volunteered) are also represented. More than 300 eligible volunteers speak Spanish and the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 continues to capture volunteer information related to foreign language skills. Interestingly, there are at least 37 volunteers who are 80 years of age and older. More than 30 percent (33%) of volunteers have generously donated the cost of the required background check back to the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015.
Transportation
The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 recently announced the launch of its Official Bus Operator Registration site, wmof.goground.com , in partnership with GO GROUND, the official transportation management partner of World Meeting of Families. All commercial charter buses and privately-owned buses must register to ensure parishes, tour operators and other private groups have access to designated parking spaces for September 26-27, which will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. With buses being one of the most effective modes of transportation, event organizers are planning for upwards of 5,000 charter buses. GO GROUND registration will be open until Friday, July 31 and more information can be found at wmof.goground.com.
The World Meeting of Families is also pleased to announce the introduction of KnowB4UGoPHL and The Papal Visit Playbook campaigns for detailed in-the-know plans about public transportation routes and schedules. Event visitors are encouraged to visit KnowB4UGoPHL at www.worldmeeting2015.org for updates on how to access Philadelphia and navigate through the events. KnowB4UGoPHL will be a valuable resource for visitors wanting to get easy directions from Point A to Point B as efficiently as possible. With updates on mass transit schedules, insider tips and information on locations, walking routes and maps, visitors will have easy access to helpful tools in preparation for this global event through KnowB4UGoPHL.
The Papal Visit Playbook is a more in-depth overview for local residents living and working in and out of Philadelphia. The Playbook will inform residents of transportation and lodging logistics, location perimeters and maps, event timeline of commemorative attractions, museum exhibits, entertainment, and merchandise offerings among many more details. Philadelphia will be in the international limelight and when it opens its doors to visitors from more than 150 nations in faith and celebration. It is important that the World Meeting of Families be fun, engaging and exciting for both local residents and international visitors alike. This is under development and will launch later this summer.
Housing
More than 1,600 people have already registered to offer their homes through the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 Host a Family program. While there are hundreds of rooms already secured, additional registrants are welcome to help meet the anticipated demand for this housing option, which is aimed at offering comfortable accommodations in a cost-effective manner. Interested individuals and families can find detailed information about participating in “Host a Family at http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/get-involved/host-a-family/.
There are also 65,000 hotel rooms within a 60 mile radius of Philadelphia and the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 continues to work closely with all local tourism agencies to ensure that there is access to hotel rooms across the region, including New Jersey and Delaware. Hotel rooms do remain available but it is important to note that the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 has no influence or control over the market prices set for hotel rooms.
We are delighted at where we currently stand in planning the four-day Congress as well as the Papal visit, said Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. Whether delving into Congress registration, volunteer engagement or housing options, we continue to be overwhelmed by the enthusiasm exhibited for this event and the generosity of so many in giving their time and talent to the World Meeting of Families. Certainly, there is more work to do but with three months until the event, we feel confident in our planning efforts as we continue to track positively toward reaching our goals.
Co-sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the World Meeting of Families is a triennial global event that seeks to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe and highlight its intrinsic value to the good of society. This international gathering will welcome Pope Francis to the United States for the first time in his Papacy. Being held in the United States for the first time ever, the official theme for the 2015 World Meeting of Families is Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.
For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, visit www.WorldMeeting2015.org. For more information regarding The Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, which co-sponsors the World Meeting of Families, visit http://www.familiam.org/famiglia_eng/00002554_HOME_ENG.html. You can also engage the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia on Facebook (World Meeting of Families 2015) (Encuentro Mundial de las Familias – Filadelfia 2015), Twitter (@WMF2015) (@WMF2015ES) and Instagram (WMF2015).
About World Meetings of Families
Beginning with 1994, The Year of the Family, the Pontifical Council for the Family has been responsible for organizing the World Meetings of Families in Rome (1994); Rio de Janeiro (1997); Rome (2000); Manila (2003); Valencia (2006); Mexico City (2009); Milan (2012); and now, Philadelphia (2015). Since its inception by Saint John Paul II, the World Meeting of Families has sought to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe.
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