Philadelphia, PA (August 3, 2015) – The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 today announced that the Papal Choir, comprised of 500 parishioners from across the five-county Philadelphia region, has begun rehearsals for the Papal Mass that will be celebrated Sunday, September 27, 2015 on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to close the World Meeting of Families-Philadelphia 2015 and Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to the United States.
The group will include members from specialty Archdiocesan choirs, including the Archdiocesan Children’s and High School Choirs and perform with The Philadelphia Orchestra, led by its dynamic Music Director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
“Music plays an integral role in the sacred Liturgy as does the choir, who assists those gathered for Mass to participate in the sacrifice of Christ made present in the offering of the holy Eucharist. In selecting musical settings for the chants and the hymns for the Papal Mass, we strove to choose music that would reflect this particular Sunday celebration with its proper chants and readings from sacred Scripture and also reflect the plan of God for marriage and the family as found in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth,” said Bishop John J. McIntyre. “The World Meeting of Families and the Papal Visit are both rooted in encouraging men and women in marriage and families in their vocation. The beauty of this music, paired with that of the Papal Choir’s unified voice and the rich sound of the Philadelphia Orchestra, will create a moment in which families are encouraged and praise is offered to God for what He has done for us in His beloved Son, Jesus.”
Additional rehearsals will occur over the course of the next two months in advance of Pope Francis’ arrival in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 26.
Co-sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, the World Meeting of Families is a triennial global event that seeks to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe and highlight its intrinsic value to the good of society. This international gathering will welcome Pope Francis to the United States for the first time in his Papacy. Being held in the United States for the first time ever, the official theme for the 2015 World Meeting of Families is “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.”
For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, visit www.WorldMeeting2015.org. For more information regarding The Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, which co-sponsors the World Meeting of Families, visit http://www.familiam.org/famiglia_eng/00002554_HOME_ENG.html. You can also engage the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia on Facebook (World Meeting of Families 2015) (Encuentro Mundial de las Familias – Filadelfia 2015), Twitter (@WMF2015) (@WMF2015ES) and Instagram (WMF2015).
About World Meetings of Families
Beginning with 1994, The Year of the Family, the Pontifical Council for the Family has been responsible for organizing the World Meetings of Families in Rome (1994); Rio de Janeiro (1997); Rome (2000); Manila (2003); Valencia (2006); Mexico City (2009); Milan (2012); and now, Philadelphia (2015). Since its inception by Saint John Paul II, the World Meeting of Families has sought to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe.
Contact
Kenneth A. Gavin
Director of Communications
215-587-3747