The Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on marriage is not a surprise. The surprise will come as ordinary people begin to experience, firsthand and painfully, the impact of today’s action on everything they thought they knew about marriage, family life, our laws and our social institutions.

The United States Embassy to the Holy See with the City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), VISIT PHILADELPHIA® and the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 yesterday co-hosted a luncheon for international journalists highlighting Philadelphia, PA – host city for the Eighth World Meeting of Families- as a premier destination for international conventions and tourists from around the world.

The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 today provided a comprehensive update regarding the World Meeting of Families Congress (September 22-25) including an overview of current registration figures, volunteer engagement status as well as transportation and housing options for the global event. These updates were shared during a news conference at La Sala Stampa (The Vatican Press Office) in Rome, Italy, at which Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and Auxiliary Bishop John J. McIntyre presented.

The Secondary School System of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Association of Catholic Teachers are happy to announce that a new contract agreement was ratified by the teachers at a General Membership Meeting held on June 24, 2015. The new one-year Agreement takes effect on September 1, 2015 and affects the 625 high school lay teachers in the 17 Archdiocesan high schools.

The chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, urged Congress to answer Pope Francis’ call to protect creation and oppose legislation and appropriation riders that would reverse efforts to develop a national standard to reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants.

Faithful throughout the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are invited to pray for the victims and the families of Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina and to give witness to the right to pray and worship in our churches. On the one week anniversary of the deadly shooting, four parishes will hold bible study and a prayer service. All are welcome to attend.

Philadelphia, PA (June 23, 2015) – The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 today announced that Andrea Bocelli, the internationally acclaimed Italian tenor with more than 70 million records sold, and Juanes, a multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy winning Colombian superstar, will travel to Philadelphia to perform at the Festival of Families on Saturday, […]

In comments made in conjunction with World Refugee Day, observed June 20, Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, auxiliary bishop of Seattle and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, called upon U.S. officials to do more to respond to the ongoing refugee crisis in the Middle East stemming from conflict in Syria and Iraq.

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty, gave their strong support for the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), which is a federal non-discrimination act.

“I am deeply saddened by the mass murder that occurred at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina last evening. All life matters and when life is taken in such a violent way, all people of good will are devastated. The fact that nine people were shot to death as their pastor led Bible Study in their Church led to me to prayer throughout this day.