Pope Francis will be making his first trip to the US next September to participate in the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia. The Diocese of Owensboro wasted no time in announcing plans to attend.
Joe Bland, Director of Family Life for the Diocese of Owensboro, told Owensboro Living that he is coordinating a trip to the World Meeting of Families, which concludes with Pope Francis presiding at the closing Mass on Sunday.
“The World Meeting of Families is held every three years in a different location around the world. The last one was in Madrid, Spain. With it being this close this time, and now that Pope Francis is coming – we’re definitely going!” Bland said.
Price is still being calculated, but the diocese has hired a travel agency to arrange hotel accommodations and chartered bus transportation. The congress will be Sept 22 – 27th at the Philadelphia Convention Center. Pope Francis is scheduled to arrive Friday, be present for the “Festival of Families” on Saturday, and say closing Mass Sunday morning. Bland says organizers expect at least a million people to attend the closing Mass, which will be held at Benjamin Franklin Park.
For more information, call Joe Bland at 270-683-1545.
