Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Mexico City (Agenzia Fides) - “As President of the Pontifical Council for the Family and in accord with the Archbishop of Mexico, Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, I invite you all to participate with your families in the VI World Meeting of Families, which will take place here in Mexico City, this coming January 14-18.” These were the words of Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, who is currently in Mexico to prepare for WMF 2009.
The Cardinal called the encounter “a very important event, both because it refers to the family, the fundamental cell of the Church and civil society, and because many Cardinals, Bishops, and delegations from all over the world will attend - from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the United States and Canada, Europe and Oceania. It will be a splendid experience of universal brotherhood.”
The Cardinal then recalled that although the Holy Father Benedict XVI will not be able to attend physically, he will “participate through several televised talks before, during, and after the event and will send a special video-message through live-television connection, during the Closing Mass, on January 18.” He also announced that the Pope will send his closest collaborator, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, to the World Encounter as his Papal Legate.
“I will bring you the Pope's greeting myself and I assure you of his great affection and care for the people of Mexico, which after Brazil is the largest of the Catholic countries and has always shown fidelity to the Lord, his Vicar the Pope, and the Holy Catholic Church,” the Cardinal concluded.
During his stay in Mexico, which began on November 4, Cardinal Ennio Antonelli visited the sites which will host the WMF, such as the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Expo-Bancomer Santa Fe Conventions Center, and held various meetings with the volunteers who will work the encounter, as well as the Organizing Committee, presided by Bishop Jonas Guerrero Corona. He also officially inaugurated the new website for the WMF 2009, which has been given a new technical design so as to result more efficient and possess a larger capacity of memory data. The site also includes a page where the national and international mass media sources can access information on this great event. Today, November 11, the Cardinal will be attending the Plenary Assembly of the Mexican Bishops' Conference. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 11/11/2008)
