Army of volunteers helps sets stage for church gathering

A bustling crew of volunteers stuffed scores of items into plastic backpacks called "pilgrim packages" Sunday, preparing for the record-setting crowd expected to attend the World Meeting of Families Congress at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

T-shirts, hats, water bottles, and rain ponchos were among the 67 items loaded, assembly-line style, into the plastic backpacks for the nearly 20,000 people expected to begin registering Monday for the international gathering, which is held every three years by the Roman Catholic Church.

The congress will celebrate family and explore challenges to family relationships before a group of attendees that will be almost three times larger than at the last congress, held in Milan in 2012.

The five-day gathering is a precursor to the Festival of Families and the arrival of Pope Francis on Saturday when the pontiff is scheduled to begin a two-day visit that includes a public Mass Sunday that may draw as many one million to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

"I just think this is such a unique time in Philadelphia history," said John Livio, of Lansdowne, a congress volunteer checking in Sunday at the convention center. "To greet people traveling here, support the city and the Catholic Church. I just want to be a part of it."

Livio will be among the more than 10,000 volunteers helping adult and youth congress attendees visiting from over 100 countries. The United States, Canada, Mexico, Pakistan, and Vietnam have the highest number of registrants.

Sessions will be translated, including into French, Spanish, Italian, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language.

Adult congress-goers will navigate their way through a schedule of six keynote addresses and 67 breakout sessions, while youths 6-17 will attend their own programs and activities. All sessions will focus on the congress theme, "Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive."

The upbeat focus is part of an effort to make sure that the positive aspects of family life are given as much attention as efforts to tackle challenges such as divorce, addiction, and raising children in a technology-loaded landscape.

"We wanted to celebrate all of us as a human community and all of our relationships," said Mary Beth Yount, an assistant professor of theology at Neumann University in Aston, Delaware County. Yount supervised the program development for the congress.

"Sometimes love and celebration together as a human family gets overlooked, and it's certainly not celebrated enough," Yount said.

Victoria and Inocencio Melendez, of Juniata Park, will be attending four days of the conference.

"We are excited about everything," said Victoria Melendez, 73, a retired maintenance worker. Inocencio, 81, a retired waiter, said simply, "I want to learn what's cooking" in the faith.

Presentations will be led by speakers from diverse religious backgrounds, including Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Mormon. Organizers also selected seminar topics that they believe will appeal to a broad spectrum of attendees, and not just Catholics.

Pastor Rick Warren, author of the best-selling The Purpose Driven Life, and Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley, archbishop of Boston, will co-present a session on "The Joy of the Gospel Life." Elder D. Todd Christofferson, who has served on the senior governing body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will discuss "Techniques for Family Unity from Mormon Homes." Rabbi Abraham Skorka, a close friend of Pope Francis', will discuss the pontiff's perspective on living out the WMOF theme.

Rose Sweet, a Catholic author and counselor, will discuss divorce, its stresses on the family, and church doctrine on the dissolution of marriage.

Sweet will talk about "the best ways to help your kids, friends, and family, and then wind up with how to still find love in the world," she said.

For young people, the congress will offer music, art and theater activities, along with a scavenger hunt and the chance to bowl with bishops, shoot hoops with seminarians, and dance with nuns.

The challenges to urban families will be the topic of a session led by the Rev. Terrence Griffith, senior pastor of First African Baptist Church in South Philadelphia.

Addiction will be discussed by the Rev. Kevin Gillespie, former president of St. Joseph's University.

"How does spirituality speak to people when they are in pain?" said Gillespie who will soon start a post as pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Washington. "Can they believe in a God that soothes and comforts and doesn't judge?"

Some have criticized the congress for what they view as conservative offerings that don't include Catholics with divergent opinions and lifestyles.

The only session on LGBTQ issues is one co-led by Ron Beglau, who is an openly gay and celibate Catholic "who embraces the Church's teaching."

Yount said organizers' selection of topics was restricted by the short time frame of the congress, and limited space within the convention center.

"When something is close to your heart you want to see it covered in depth, but it's just not possible . . .," Yount said. "But, everybody is welcome."

On Sunday at the convention center, workers put the finishing touches on booths and stages, while volunteers in bright orange T-shirts checked in. There will be more than 10,000 volunteers at the conference, said Suzanne Kinkel, WMOF volunteer coordinator.

As the group stationed near Broad Street stuffed pilgrim packs, a nun upstairs signed a message on a large autograph-laden painting of the pope.

Volunteer Livio said he has been assigned to duties that include helping to serve communion during the papal Mass on Sunday.

Livio also is looking forward to attending Pope Francis' speech Saturday on immigration at Independence Hall.

Livio's wife Rose, a store owner also known as "Fifi," emigrated from Indonesia. Rose Livio was with her husband Sunday as he checked in and the couple will attend several events together during the week.

"I'm very proud of our city," John Livio said. "This is a wonderful time to be in Philadelphia."

kholmes@phillynews.com

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