'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.â?
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.â?
The theme of the World Meeting of Families, 'Love is our mission: the family fully aliveâ?, 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.â?
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.â?
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.
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