Archbishop Chaput is 'hopeful' that Pope Francis will go to Philadelphia




"It's a very big undertaking. Philadelphia has deep religious roots. And Pope Francis is very well loved both within and outside the Catholic Church in the United States.”

Also present at the conference was the Riley family from Philadelphia who are involved in the preparations for the World Meeting of Families. They noted that the city is an appropriate meeting point for people of different cultures.

PENELOPE RILEY
Daughter
"I go to Catholic school in Philadelphia and I think that everyone would love to come and visit and see all the different cultural differences there in comparison to Rome.”

The theme of the World Meeting of Families, "Love is our mission: the family fully alive”,  will be at the center of several initiatives that will help prepare for the event. Among them is a catechesis on the family as well as the commissioning of a painting of the Holy Family.

ARCH. CHARLES J. CHAPUT
Archbishop of Philadelphia (USA)
"It's exciting. We have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of many people. Not just in Philadelphia but in the whole world and we want to make sure that we do all we can to prepare so this event will be a transformative event in the lives of all who participate and those who watch from a distance.”

The Archbishop of Philadelphia said that they are  also offering scholarships to poor and low income families in order to attend the meeting.

An estimated 15,000 people are expected to attend the World Meeting of Families, which will take place from September 22-27th, 2015.

Although it is not confirmed whether the Pope will attend, Archbishop Chaput believes his presence will draw even greater numbers to Philadelphia.

ARCH. CHARLES J. CHAPUT
Archbishop of Philadelphia
"His presence has a twofold effect: one is that it draws people, and then he has the opportunity to directly impact the lives of many, hundreds of thousands of people. Certainly it will be a great celebration even if the Pope doesn't attend, but if he attends it'll be an extraordinary moment.”

Among the issues affecting families, particularly in the United States, is immigration. It's an issue that Archbishop Chaput says will not only be addressed at the World Meeting of Families, but that organizers are currently dealing with in arranging visas for families wishing to attend.
-

Comments

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated and are published at the blogger's discretion.

Blog Archive

Show more

Popular posts from this blog

The Spirituality and Miracles of St. Clare of Assisi

Image
August 11 is the memorial of St. Clare, one of my favorite saints. She was the first woman to follow the life of radical poverty practiced by St. Francis of Assisi and is the co-founder of the Poor Clares. Although I am not a Franciscan, I have had Franciscan friends, clergy, and spiritual directors instruct me on the beauty of St. Clare's spirituality. I have also learned a great deal from reading about her over the years. Clare and Francis (2007) is a film which depicts the fascinating story of her dramatic conversion and surrender to the will of God. St. Clare is the patron saint of television. She is also the patron of eye disorders, embroiderers, good weather, and telephones. The Contemplative Life The Lady Clare was born into a noble family in Assisi in 1193 and was admired for her great beauty. When she heard Francis of Assisi preach his Lenten homilies at the Church of San Giorgio, she was captivated by his words. At age eighteen, she heard him say: "When the...
Read more

Saint Michael de Sanctis: Patron of Cancer Patients

Image
Today is the feast of Saint Michael de Sanctis, also known as St. Michael of the Saints, a Spanish Discalced Trinitarian priest, the patron of cancer patients. Michael Argemir was born on September 29, 1591 at Vic, Catalonia, Spain. At age 6, he told his parents that he planned to become a monk and began modeling his life after Saint Francis of Assisi. Michael’s parents died when he was about ten years old. He then served as an apprentice with a local merchant. During this apprenticeship, he continued his fervent devotion to the Lord, especially to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. At the age of 12, he joined the Trinitarian Friars at Barcelona, taking his vows at St. Lambert’s monastery in Saragosa four years later.  Shortly afterwards, Michael expressed a desire to join the reformed group of Trinitarians and was given permission to do so. He went to the Novitiate at Madrid and, after studies at Seville and Salamanca, he was ordained a priest. Twice he served as Superior of the...
Read more

St. Raymond Nonnatus, Patron of Expectant Mothers, Midwives, and Newborn Babies

Image
The saint of the day for August 31 is St. Raymond Nonnatus. He is the patron of expectant mothers, midwives, obstetricians, infertile couples, and newborn babies. Raymond was born at Portella, Catalonia, Spain in 1204, the son of wealthy parents. He was delivered by cesarean section when his mother died in childbirth. Hence his name non natus (not born). In his childhood, he seemed to find pleasure only in his devotions and serious duties. His father, sensing that Raymond was drawn to religious life, ordered him to manage one of the family farms. Raymond readily obeyed but spent his time with the shepherds and workers, studying and praying until his father abandoned the idea of making his son a worldly success. Raymond later joined the the Order of Our Lady of Mercy or the Mercederians, which was founded by St. Peter Nolasco, who devoted to ransoming Christians captured by the Moors. He succeeded Peter as chief ransomer and went to Algeria to ransom slaves. He remained as h...
Read more