Archbishop Paglia said the World Meeting of Families communicates that the family is not just important for the Church or for Christians, but for all people and cultures, which is why holding the meeting in a country that is not majority Catholic is important. At the Convention Center there are workshops on how to build strong religious families and on how to resist distractions of the secular world. Secretary of Health, Dr. Karen Murphy, estimates that one million extra visitors will take part in the World Meeting of Families papal festivities.
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The Independence Express, the company’s mobile education and retail center, will welcome conference attendees and visitors at the Philadelphia Convention Center from September 22-25 with bilingual capabilities and an interactive experience – including a photo booth, graffiti wall, and “Historical Philadelphians” quiz – created to engage local, national, and global visitors.
The World Meeting of Families features an array of keynote addresses and breakout sessions examining various issues affecting families. Paglia says, “It is the selfish individualism to think only about our self”.
“The family is our passion and our mission”, Archbishop Paglia told the pilgrims.
Asked whether his definition of family extends to couples in same-sex marriages, Paglia said family must be defined by the way God established it. “The family is our most valuable and most important resource”. Their thinking is that society doesn’t work without the family unit. “I am also happy that I will meet His Holiness Pope Francis”, she said.
Paglia, who is the president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Family, which is overseeing the event, says Pope Francis’ arrival this weekend to conclude the conference will be a joyful time for all. The translations are available at the congress.
Archbishop Chaput began his homily with an explanation.
“Today marks a moment we have been preparing for over the course of three years”, said Archbishop Charles Chaput.
“Their first temptation is that they will be influenced by the pagan culture that they are coming home to”.
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“In the gospels, Jesus, five times, multiplied the bread”, Paglia said.
