{"id":2414,"date":"2013-02-25T16:10:00","date_gmt":"2013-02-25T16:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/vatican-sets-dates-for-2015-world-meeting-of-families\/"},"modified":"2013-02-25T16:10:00","modified_gmt":"2013-02-25T16:10:00","slug":"vatican-sets-dates-for-2015-world-meeting-of-families","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2013\/02\/vatican-sets-dates-for-2015-world-meeting-of-families\/","title":{"rendered":"Vatican sets dates for 2015 World Meeting of Families"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Philadelphia, Pa., Feb 25, 2013 \/ 09:10 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- The Holy See has announced the dates for the eighth World Meeting of Families, officially confirming that the event will be held in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27, 2015.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe more we encourage and support the integrity of families, the healthier society becomes,\u201d said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

\tIn a Feb. 25 announcement from the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI confirmed that the next World Meeting of Families will be held in Philadelphia and set the official dates for the 2015 gathering, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of participants from across the globe.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, which organizes the meeting, promised support throughout the coming months of planning for the international event.<\/p>\n

\tStarted in 1994 by Pope John Paul II, the World Meeting of Families takes place every three years and seeks to support and strengthen families throughout the world.<\/p>\n

\tThe event was last hosted in Milan, Italy in 2012. More than one million people gathered for Mass with the Holy Father, and 153 nations were represented.<\/p>\n

\tThe Philadelphia meeting will mark the first time that the event will be held in the United States.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe World Meeting of Families is meant to be a gift not just to Catholics in Philadelphia, but to every person of good will in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and surrounding areas,\u201d Archbishop Chaput said at a Feb. 25 press conference.<\/p>\n

\tHe explained that such events \u201cbecome moments of grace,\u201d with the ability \u201cto transform, in deeply positive ways, not just the spirit of Catholic life in our region, but the whole public community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe archbishop thanked Pope Benedict for choosing Philadelphia, while acknowledging that the Holy Father did not explain his reason for picking the city to host the international gathering.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cBut it's helpful to remember that Philadelphia is uniquely rich in America\u2019s history,\u201d he explained, calling to mind the important political principles of human rights, freedom and dignity connected with the nation\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n

\tPope Benedict has spoken about these issues, particularly religious liberty, he observed, adding that the Holy Father has \u201calways seen the strength of the family as a guarantee of human maturity and freedom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tPhiladelphia is also important for the American Church, he continued, pointing to Saints Katharine Drexel and Bishop John Neumann, as well as to the legacy of service that continues to this day through Catholic education and aid to immigrants, minorities and those in need.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe Church in Philadelphia is also a community in need of healing and renewal,\u201d Archbishop Chaput acknowledged. \u201cWe have a very serious duty to help persons who have been hurt in the past to heal, and to better protect children and young people moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHowever, he continued, beyond this critical duty is the Church\u2019s foundational \u201cobligation to preach Jesus Christ\u201d and to aid people in finding God and living out \u201ctheir faith with joy and conviction.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tFaithful Catholics realize that, the archbishop explained, and they long for an opportunity \u201cto show their love of God and his Church to the world, to deepen God\u2019s presence in their own families, and to share Jesus Christ with a world that urgently needs him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe logo for the eighth World Meeting of Families was also unveiled on Feb. 25 \u2013 a bell with a cross and five distinct figures, designed to reflect \u201cfamily unity, the city itself and also, the city\u2019s role as the birthplace of religious freedom in the United States,\u201d according to a statement by the archdiocese.<\/p>\n

\tArchbishop Chaput also announced that Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett and Philadelphia mayor Michael Nutter will serve as honorary co-chairs of the 2015 gathering.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cPhiladelphia is the birthplace of religious freedom,\u201d said Governor Corbett, \u201cand our churches, synagogues, mosques and temples are places of both personal faith and civic freedom.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cBut it is our families that grow up in these institutions that are the foundation of that freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe governor \u2013 who is Catholic \u2013 quoted Pope John Paul II, saying, \u201cAs the family goes, so goes the nation, and so goes the whole world in which we live.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\tHe noted that faithful families have \u201cplayed a profound role in building not only Philadelphia but the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,\u201d which today is a state that is \u201cenriched by our diversity of faiths.\u201d
\n\t\u00a0
\n\t\u201cThis special event is not only an opportunity to welcome families from around the world but an opportunity to celebrate our distinctive religious heritage as a state and a nation,\u201d he said.
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tMayor Nutter said that he was \u201cdelighted and honored\u201d that Philadelphia had been chosen to host the World Meeting of Families.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cFamily is the cornerstone of society and strengthening it serves all of our people in Philadelphia \u2013 Catholic and non-Catholic alike,\u201d he stressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Philadelphia, Pa., Feb 25, 2013 \/ 09:10 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- The Holy See has announced the dates for the eighth World Meeting of Families, officially confirming that the event will be held in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27, 2015. <\/p>\n

\t“The more we …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-us"],"yoast_head":"\nVatican sets dates for 2015 World Meeting of Families<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Philadelphia, Pa., Feb 25, 2013 \/ 09:10 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- The Holy See has announced the dates for the eighth World Meeting of Families, officially confirming that the event will be held in Philadelphia Sept. 22-27, 2015.  “The more we ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2013\/02\/vatican-sets-dates-for-2015-world-meeting-of-families\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" 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