AMERICA/MEXICO - Preparations begin for the World Family Encounter in January 2009. Presentation of the official logo.

Monday, 18 February 2008

Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - Preparations have already begun for the celebration of the VI World Family Encounter, set to take place in Mexico City January 13-18, 2009. The event was presented by Bishop Enrique Glennie Graue, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Mexico City and Executive Secretary of the team in charge of preparing the WFE, and Enrique Gomez, Public Relations Manager. This time, the theme is “The Family, Educator in Human and Christian Values,” expressing the interest the Catholic Church has in that the family reflect on itself, the situation that they are going through, and that they make a Christian examination of their marriage. The organisers explained that the Encounter, that will take place in the Banamex Centre, will have three main events: a theological/pastoral congress, a testimonies/festival event, and the Mass.
The official logo of the Encounter was also presented. It has the silhouettes of what is meant to represent a family, “from which love comes…symbolised with three hearts, and which is guided by faith…symbolised by the cross above.” “The cross represents the present of God as the One who sustains the family in unity. Christ gives strength, light, and life. The three hearts represent the family united by love and the relationships among them. The attitude of the family members is trust and joy in the Lord,” the organisers explained. They also pointed out that the three parts of the logo: the family, the hearts, and the cross are resting upon an ellipse, representing the world - to emphasise that it is a global fraternity. It also is meant to represent the family, united by faith and love, which is fundamental for the authentic development of human and Christian values; that is, the integral development of the person from within the family. The family is in the world, but it transcends outside it, thanks to those who live human and Christian values.” One special detail of the logo is the mother, who appears to be pregnant, “detail that is meant to promote the theme of life, primary and fundamental value that is promoted, protected, celebrated by the family.” Finally, the colour green that is given to the image is symbolic of the hope in the future of the family, and is also the colour of Mexico.
The WFE, which takes place every three years, is an opportunity for the family, the domestic church and sanctuary of life, to come together with other families to pray, dialogue, and reflect more deeply on current issues; to know and share the role of Christian families with a vision of the new evangelisation. The first encounter took place in Rome 1994. Subsequent encounters have taken place in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rome again, Manila (Philippines), and Valencia (Spain). (RG) (Agenzia Fides 18/2/2008 righe 34, parole 457)


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