The World Meeting of Families Sept. 22-28 will be a historic event and an opportunity for each of us to grow in understanding our mission to love — a mission in which we are all called to participate.
Through baptism we are called to act and are sent into the world to proclaim the goodness of love. Today, however, it is often difficult to know what to say or how to respond to the many situations we encounter.
The theme of the World Meeting of Families is filled with hope that families provide to the wider world, “Love is our Mission — the family fully alive.” The family is fully alive when it exists as a school of love where all members learn from each other and grow in virtue and understanding of the dignity of the human person; together and through each member it becomes leaven and salt for the world. We can never take this for granted, and must intentionally seek out ways to support families and their mission.
For details, visit www.archspm.org/WMF.
The World Meeting of Families is a week-long conference to be held in Philadelphia and attended by Catholics from all walks of life from around the world. Those attending will discover how the Church responds to the needs of the human person in a variety of situations.
All will have something to offer and to receive at the World Meeting of Families. And as beneficial it will be, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 26, as we participate with Pope Francis in the Festival of Families and again Sunday, Sept. 27, as he celebrates holy Mass, we will enjoy an incomparable, unique experience of unity and Catholic identity. For many, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
It should be important to us, the laity, to make sure that the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis has a strong delegation at the World Meeting of Families and the papal events. For this reason we have established a pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families, which includes the airfare, hotels, transportation from the hotel to the events each day, breakfast and two dinners with our bishops and other pilgrims from Minnesota. We will celebrate Mass each day and share our experiences each evening. Pope Francis has identified the family as the “agent of evangelization.” Join us to discover what this means for you and your family.
Stolpestad is the director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Life for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
