World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015, City of Philadelphia & Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Announce the Papal Visit Playbook is Now Live
Philadelphia, PA (August 24, 2015) – 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 of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, today announced that the Papal Visit Playbook, a comprehensive online guide for residents across the region to assist in planning for the weekend of September 26-27, is now available to the public at http://www.worldmeeting2015.org/papal-visit-playbook-homepage/
This special resource provides residents with a wide-ranging overview of information related to the World Meeting of Families Congress (September 22 – 25) and Papal Visit (September 26-27). This information includes a complete outline of the event itself, recommendations on how residents can participate, transportation options, special events available to residents in advance of Pope Francis’ arrival, emergency notification information, pet care considerations, city service information and additional resources to support residents.
“We are proud to develop and deliver this important resource to residents, not just in Center City Philadelphia but across the five county region as well as South Jersey and Delaware,” said Donna Crilley Farrell, Executive Director for the World Meeting of Families – Philadelphia 2015. “There is so much information – both requested and needed – to help residents to plan for this special global event. With the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we sought to offer a central access point for the distribution of vetted and correct information related to the World Meeting of Families and the visit of Pope Francis. This living document not only focuses on how to navigate the City during this one weekend, but also highlights all of the ways in which residents can be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience beyond attendance at the Papal events on Saturday and Sunday. This event is for everyone and we sincerely hope that the Papal Visit Playbook serves as both a guide and a thought starter for residents’ planning in the coming five weeks.”
Developed as an online guide, the Papal Visit Playbook will continue to be updated to reflect key updates, including the addition of recommended walking maps, special events and important transportation/travel notifications. Residents can sign-up to receive notification of its publication and continued updates here. To ensure wide distribution of the Papal Visit Playbook, and to provide those with limited access to the Internet an opportunity to engage this resource, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Philadelphia Daily News will print and distribute a copy of the Papal Visit Playbook 10-14 days in advance of Pope Francis’ arrival.
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