Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Valencia (Agenzia Fides) - The programme has been released for the 5th World Meeting of Families to be held 1 to 9 July in Valencia, Spain on the theme "Handing on the faith in the family". The event will have four main parts: an International Family Fair, an International Theological Pastoral Congress, the World Meeting of Families Vigil with testimony and World Meeting of Families Mass the latter two both presided by Pope Benedict XVI who is expected to arrive in Valencia on 8 July at 11.30. Two new items on the programme are an International Family Fair and a Family Rosary.
The event will open with the International Family Fair 1-7 July which will be an opportunity for pro-family companies, associations and NGOs to present their identity, activities, programmes and experience. There will also be a family playground area for ‘young and not so young’.
The International Theological Pastoral Congress 4 to 7 July will focus on how to hand on the faith in the family from different aspects, social, educational, legislative, demographic, juridical and bio-ethical with debates, conferences, testimony and liturgies. Speakers will include theologians, experts in education, family pastoral and the media, and representatives of Church Movements. Some 29 cardinals from 25 different countries are expected to take part and also representatives of the Greek, Russian and Rumanian Orthodox Churches.
Another event will be a Youth Congress 4-7 July for about 1,500 children aged 16-25 of the families present on the theme “Young people, Family, Handing on the Faith” . The congress will focus on problems facing youth today such as finding a job, commitment to marry and start a family, a vocation, alternatives to the culture of laziness and leisure, religious freedom in the worlds of university, work and politics. Participants will also discuss handing on the faith in the parish and in Church Movements. The Congress will be opened by Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo President of the Pontifical Council for the Family and presided by Archbishop Agustín García-Gasco of Valencia.
A third Congress will bring grandparents together for two afternoons to discuss the essential role of grandparents in the family under two main titles: "Grandparents and handing on the Faith" on Wednesday 5 July and "Grandparents and Family" on Thursday 6 July.
On Friday 7 July on Valencia’s Malvarrosa seafront there will be a Family Rosary for which a team of forty children will perform scenes representing the mysteries of the Rosary. On Saturday at 10am in different churches in Valencia there will be Masses in various languages.
The arrival of the Pope on Saturday will mark the beginning of the two main events: the Saturday evening Family Vigil at 9.30pm with Prayer, Testimony and Song with well known artistes and on Sunday morning the World Meeting of Families Mass presided by the Pope during which numerous couples celebrating 50 years of married life will renew their marriage promises. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 6/6/2006; righe 43, parole 580)
