Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M., Cap., Mayor Michael A. Nutter and World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 Leadership Delegation Travel to Rome for Final Planning Meetings with the Vatican

Philadelphia, PA (June 11, 2015) – The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 today announced that Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. and Honorary Co-Chair, Mayor Michael A. Nutter, will travel with a leadership delegation to Rome for final preparatory meetings in advance of the September 22-27, 2015 event. The delegation, which will include several civic and business leaders, as well as key officials from the City of Philadelphia, will spend June 22-25 in Rome for various planning meetings and events related to the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015.

“As we are now just three months from the World Meeting of Families and the visit of the Holy Father to Philadelphia, it was critical for us to engage in these final planning meetings at the Vatican,” said Archbishop Chaput. “We have worked very closely over the past 15 months with the City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania alongside civic and business leaders across the Philadelphia region. To have this group of committed leaders – who represent multiple faith traditions – travel with us to Rome for these meetings is a true blessing. Their ongoing leadership and generous support gives me continued confidence and I look forward to sharing our positive momentum with various Vatican officials as well as the Pontifical Council for the Family during our visit.”

The four-day visit by the delegation to Rome will focus upon final preparations for the September visit of the Holy Father to Philadelphia as well as a comprehensive update on the World Meeting of Families Congress, which currently projects more than 15,000 registrants from over 150 countries. Several high-level meetings are also planned as is a press conference at La Sala Stampa (The Vatican Press Office) on Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. Specific dates and times for certain meetings are still being finalized and a complete schedule will be provided in advance of the delegation’s June 22 arrival.

“The City of Philadelphia is exceptionally experienced at hosting big events – from the Wawa Welcome America! and Made in America music festivals to sporting events such as the Philadelphia Marathon, Philadelphia International Cycling Classic and the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run . We know what we need to do to prepare for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 and the visit from his Holiness, Pope Francis,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “Part of that planning includes meeting with our Vatican counterparts because, as any business person will tell you, nothing can replace the value of meeting your partners face to face. With Archbishop Chaput, I am honored to help lead this delegation in Rome and share, on behalf of our City, just how ready we are to welcome the world. The World Meeting of Families will showcase Philadelphia and our well-deserved reputation as an excellent host City on the world stage come September.”

Robert J. Ciaruffoli, President of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015, echoed Mayor Nutter’s sentiments, “We have worked diligently, with many outstanding partners, in planning for such a significant global event. The support we have received thus far has been astounding. As we arrive in Rome just 90 days from the opening of the World Meeting of Families Congress in Philadelphia, we look forward to providing key updates regarding the tremendous progress made since our last visit in March 2014 as well as the trajectory of our final planning efforts. From the Congress to the Papal Mass, we are ready to deliver an unforgettable week for the more than 1.5 million we expect will come to Philadelphia for this incredible event.”

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.

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