Pope Francis is going to the World Meeting of Families Congress in Philadelphia this September. And you can too.
The Diocese of Honolulu is organizing a Sept. 21-28 pilgrimage with Bishop Larry Silva to the triennial gathering.
The conference, whose purpose is to strengthen the sacred bonds of the family unit worldwide and highlight its intrinsic value to society, will feature dozens of guest speakers for the first four days of the event. The pope will join the meeting for its last two days, Sept. 26 and 27.
Hawaii’s pilgrimage host is Kristina NeNeve, diocesan coordinator of adult faith formation and evangelization.
Conceived by Pope John Paul II, the first World Meeting of Families took place in Rome in 1994, the International Year of the Family. Since then, the event, which welcomes families from around the world, has been held in cities across the globe including Rio de Janeiro, Manila, Mexico City and Milan.
This is the first time a U.S. city is hosting the meeting.
Philadelphia speakers include Father Robert Barron, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas, Greg and Lisa Popcak, Helen Alvare, Bishop Jean Laffitte, Janet Smith, Scott Hahn, Cardinal Gerald Cyrien Lacroix, Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, Carolyn Y. Woo, Chris Stefanick and Mary Hirschfeld.
Each conference day, Sept. 22 through 25, will include a Mass, talks and other activities. If time allows, the Hawaii travelers will also receive a two-hour guided tour of Amish country on Sept 26.
Pope Francis will join the conference’s Festival of Families, an intercultural celebration of family life around the world, the evening of Sept. 26. He will also celebrate Mass on Sunday, Sept. 27. Both events will take place on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the heart of Philadelphia and will be open to the public.
The World Meeting of Families will end the pope’s first visit to the United States as pontiff. He arrives in Washington Sept. 22, and will be welcomed to the White House by President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama Sept. 23. He is scheduled to address a joint meeting of Congress Sept. 24, the first pope to do so. His U.S. trip includes a Sept. 25 address to the U.N. General Assembly.
He will visit Cuba before coming to the United States.
The Hawaii pilgrimage is being organized by the Arizona-based Faith Journeys, the same tour company that coordinated the bishop’s 11-day trip to the Holy Land earlier this year.
The cost, based on a minimum of 40 people, is $1,943, which includes round-trip airfare from Honolulu. The price covers breakfast, but not other meals. Conference registration runs an additional $150 to $400, depending on when it is paid and what benefits are included. Registration prices are lower for children 6-17.
Hawaii travelers will be staying quad-occupancy in a hotel in Trenten, N.J., about 35 miles from the conference city. Occupancy arrangements for fewer people are available for an additional fee.
To register for the trip, call Faith Journeys at 1-877-732-4845.
