Philadelphia, PA (March 11, 2015) – The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 today announced the establishment of a comprehensive committee structure in advance of the World Meeting of Families Congress and historic visit of Pope Francis in September 2015. There will be 15 committees advising on myriad planning issues including liturgical development, combatting hunger and homelessness, and visitor experience among others.

Each committee will have a Chair/Co-Chairs as well as Vice Chairs who will work together with the members of their respective committees. Meetings are set to begin in earnest in early April, approximately six months prior to the global event. Several notable committees, such as security and transportation, are being headed by regional authorities and governmental agencies. Senior leadership from the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 will represent the organization to those bodies. The World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 will closely coordinate with the City of Philadelphia on communications.

“In preparing for the World Meeting of Families, we have been blessed with wonderful support from the entire community. Of special note is the willingness of business, civic, and cultural leaders to become engaged,” said Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. “Whether Catholic or of another faith tradition, they have responded equally with open hearts, great enthusiasm and strong commitment. I’m deeply grateful to those who have accepted the invitation to serve on the committees being announced today and I’m confident that we will create a beautiful and memorable week for our families here in the Philadelphia region – and for families from around the world.”
The following is the full committee list, identifying Chairs/Co-Chairs and Vice Chairs for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015:

Communications and Marketing
• Chair: Tod J. MacKenzie, Senior V.P. of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Aramark
• Vice-Chairs:
o A. Bruce Crawley, President and Principal Owner, Millennium 3 Management, Inc. (M3M)
o Jay Devine, President & CEO, Devine + Partners

Development/Fundraising
• Chair: Eustace Mita, CEO, Achristavest
• Vice-Chairs:
o Ward Fitzgerald, Managing Principal, CEO, Exeter Property Group
o Lucille Francesco, Chair, St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Gala

GO PHILADELPHIA
• Co-Chair: Meryl Levitz, President and CEO, VISIT PHILADELPHIA™
• Co-Chair: Sharon Pinkenson, Executive Director, Greater Philadelphia Film Office

Government Outreach
• Chair: Steve Fera, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, Independence Blue Cross
• Vice-Chair: Michael J. Tierney, Partner, Dilworth Paxson LLP

Health Resources
• Chair: Jerry M. Francesco, D.Ph. Chair, Board of Trustees,
The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia
• Vice-Chair: Karen Alston, RN, MSN, MBA, Executive Vice President/Chief Nurse Officer
The Visiting Nurse Association of Greater Philadelphia

Housing Committee (Vatican, PCF, VIPs, and AOP Housing Specific)
• Chair: Fr. Paul Kennedy, Pastor, Saint Katherine of Siena Parish, Philadelphia
• Vice-Chair: Sr. Virginia Rozich C.S.F.N., Regional Contact of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth

Hunger and Homelessness
• Chair: Sr. Mary Scullion, Executive Director, Project HOME
• Vice-Chair: Anne Healy Ayella, Associate Director, Nutritional Development Services,
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Liturgy Committee
• Chair: Reverend Gerald Dennis Gill, Director, Office for Divine Worship and
Rector, Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Archdiocese of Philadelphia;
• Vice-Chair: Dr. John Romeri, Director, Office for Liturgical Music, Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Liturgy Sub-Committee: Liturgical Music
• Chair: Reverend Gerald Dennis Gill, Director, Office for Divine Worship and
Rector, Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Archdiocese of Philadelphia;
• Vice-Chair: Dr. John Romeri, Director, Office for Liturgical Music, Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Papal Events
• Co-Chair: Karen Dougherty Buchholz, Senior Vice President of Administration, Comcast Corporation
• Co-Chair: Josephine Mandeville, Chair and President, The Connelly Foundation
• Vice-Chairs:
o Varsovia Fernandez, President & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
o Katie Keating, Community Leader
o Dr. Keith Leaphart, President & CEO, Replica Creative
o Amelia Q. Riley, Senior Manager, Comcast Corporation

Parish and School Preparation Committee
• Co-Chair: Meghan Cokeley, Director, Office of the New Evangelization, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
• Co-Chair: Christopher Mominey, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary for Catholic Education,
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Visa and Immigration
• Chair: Fr. Bruce Lewandowski, C. SS. R, Vicar for Cultural Ministries, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
• Vice Chair: Mark Shea, Esq., Administrator, Immigration Program, Catholic Social Services,
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Volunteer
• Chair: Alison Grove, Principal, Grimm & Grove
• Vice-Chair: Patricia Schwartz, Executive Director PennSERVE: The Governor’s Office of Citizen Service

Welcome Committee
• Chair: Jack Ferguson, President and CEO, Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Vice-Chair: Greg Fox, Board Chairman, Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority
Partner, Montgomery McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP

Youth Congress Committee
• Chair: Rev. Stephen P. DeLacy, Vocation Office for Diocesan Priesthood, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
• Vice-Chair: Sr. William Catherine Brannen, IHM, Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

“We are so grateful to those willing to give of their time and talent in support of this once-in-a-generation event,” said Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director of the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. “It is encouraging to see our community come together to deliver such an important event for our city, our state and our nation. Truly, we are indebted to those who have agreed to lead committees for the World Meeting of Families and to all who will serve on these committees moving forward. It is their efforts, which will make this event so incredibly special.”

The World Meeting of Families is a triennial global event, sponsored by The Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family, which seeks to strengthen the sacred bonds of family across the globe and highlight its intrinsic value to the good of society. Being held in the United States for the first time ever, the official theme for the 2015 World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015 is “Love is our mission: the family fully alive.”

For more information regarding the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia next September, please 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 with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please 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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Contact
Kenneth A. Gavin
Director of Communications
215-587-3747