The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 (WMOF), in collaboration with the City of Philadelphia, today kicked-off the distribution of the #OpenInPHL kits to local businesses as a part of its recently announced “I’ll Be There” awareness campaign.

Today, the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 (WMOF) and Mercy Vocational High School unveiled the commemorative Mercy Prayer Cross designed and constructed for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 Youth Congress.

What do we hope Pope Francis will take away from his September visit to Philadelphia? I hope he realizes that American Catholics in general, and Philadelphia Catholics in a very special way, love and support him wholeheartedly. I hope he sees that there’s tremendous good in our country, and a lot of it began here in Philadelphia, where our nation was born.

Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that the bus company working with the World Meeting of Families will be able to use roads otherwise closed to traffic during the September international gathering. SEPTA and PATCO have plenty of capacity still and will put you right in the center of activity with about a one-mile walk at the most.

The National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) has announced that H. Edward Hanway, founding chair of Faith in the Future Foundation, and Ellen Hanway will be among five honorees to receive the organization’s 2015 Seton Award at its 25th Anniversary celebration on October 5 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia will celebrate its 10th Annual Hispanic Heritage Mass in preparation for Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia. Reverend Bruce Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., Vicar for Cultural Ministries, will be the main celebrant and homilist.

As the City of Philadelphia prepares to host the 2015 World Meeting of Families and Pope Francis in September, the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 (WMOF), with the City, today announced its “I’ll Be There” campaign, which aims to energize and excite businesses and residents in the five county Philadelphia region, as well as South Jersey and Delaware

Let me start with a story. A married couple who are friends of mine attended Mass this past weekend in a nearby diocese. The celebrant was a missionary priest visiting from Latin America. And the Second Reading was Ephesians 5:21-32: “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands in everything.

Exactly one month from this weekend,World Meeting of Families 2015 will begin. Enthusiasm for the congress,both nationally and globally, is very strong. We hoped for 250 congress exhibitors.

Designed by the Philadelphia Prison System staff and inmates, the commemorative chair is being carved out of a solid block of walnut, consisting of 10 foot planks milled to size.