World Meeting Of Families

Pilgrims from over 100 countries gathered in Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) and to see Pope Francis. The theme, “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” was more than a catch phrase, and it was more than something Pope Francis is known for. It was a spirit that was palpable in the people, talks and interactions.

The opening of WMOF set the stage. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, said, "The family is our most valuable and most important resource. . . . If the family is fully alive, then society is fully alive. . . . We need to turn the world into one big family.”

As he spoke I looked around the crowd, and I saw infants who were smiling, fathers who were holding children on their shoulders and people of all languages listening intently – all united as family.

In the midst of the over 17,500 pilgrims attending the WMOF and the around one million attending the Philadelphia papal celebration, we quickly found the “Six Degrees of Separation” theory had value. One morning I heard a voice say, “Are you all Daughters of Charity?” I turned to see a Daughter of Charity from Nigeria.

We stopped a gentleman and asked him to take our picture. He asked if we were Daughters of Charity. He told us that his aunt was a Daughter of Charity, a missionary in Nigeria. Yes, one of our sisters knew his aunt. It’s a small world.

“The Joy of the Gospel!” Over the past year these words have rolled off my tongue as I gave presentations and meditated on the pope’s book. As I travelled to Philadelphia I expected to experience the joy of the Gospel as I encountered Pope Francis. What I wasn’t ready for was to experience the joy of the Gospel in every person I encountered.

I experienced family, gathering to meet our “Papa,” hoping that together we can be all that God has called us to be.

We joined other pilgrims in writing our prayers on slips of paper and then we tied them to a fence at the cathedral. Then we read the petition of another pilgrim and prayed for them.

As we awaited the arrival of  Pope Francis, we exchanged stories with hundreds of people, learned about the Church in their part of the world and their hopes for how Pope Francis’ message would affect all people.

All kinds of little miracles happened in Philadelphia. When we arrived, we only had five of the 21 tickets we needed. We asked and asked for tickets, and by God’s grace, we acquired all 21 tickets for both events on Saturday and Sunday.

When Pope Francis arrived, I listened to his words and watched him interact with each individual he encountered. My spirit felt a deep inner joy and peace. The joy of the Gospel radiated from him across the crowd. The woman next to me said, “We are in the presence of a saint!”

Now I am home. I pray that God guides not only Pope Francis but all of us in being His presence in the world.