Benedict XVI in Milan for the World Meeting of Families
Milan (AsiaNews) - Benedict XVI will visit Milan, Italy, for the Seventh World Meeting of Families, on 1 to 3 June, Card Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, announced. "A three-day visit is an extraordinary event," the prelate said. It is "exceptional for a [papal] trip in Italy. The pope wants to meet Milan 27 years after his predecessor John Paul II offered [. . .] this gift to the city of Milan and the churches of Lombardy".
The Holy Father will arrive at Milan's Linate airport at 5 pm on Friday 1 June, where he will be welcomed by local authorities. At 5.30 pm, he will meet the faithful in Piazza del Duomo where he is due to deliver an address. At 7.15 pm, he will go to the La Scala Opera House for a concert directed by Daniel Baremboim.
The following morning, 2 June, the Pontiff will be present at Lauds in the company of diocesan priests and religious. He will then travel by car to the city's Meazza stadium to meet young people who are due to receive Confirmation this year.
In the afternoon, the pope will deliver an address before local authorities. At 8.30 pm, he will move to Bresso Airport, in Milan's Parco Nord, for the Feast of Testimonies, which is expected to draw 300,000 people. On that occasion, the new icon of the Holy Family will enthroned.
On Sunday 3 June, also in Bresso, Benedict XVI will take part in the final Mass of the event, which is expected to attract a million people from around the world. For more on the event, visit www.family2012.com.
The World Meetings of Families will open with an international theological and pastoral congress that will be held in Milan and other cities and dioceses of Lombardy. Some 111 speakers from 27 countries will join 5,000 participants from 30 May to 1 June. The plenary session will be held at Fiera Milano City.
In order to prepare the meeting, the Pontifical Council for the Family drafted a path of ten catecheses, available in seven official versions (Italian, English, Spanish French, German, Portuguese and Polish) and four additional translations (Arabic, Hungarian, Romanian and soon, Russian). The theme is "The Family: Work and Celebration".
For Card Ennio Antonelli, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, the document "is a precious aid that can be used directly in ecclesiastic communities and families."
The ten biblical catecheses, with texts about the magisterium, are divided into three parts introduced by artistic drawings that illustrate the main content. The catecheses start with an introductory chapter about family life (1), followed by nine chapters divided in three parts: the family (2- 4), work (5-7) and celebration (8-10).
The document is addressed to families, relatives and family groups, organisers, association managers, religious movements and Church groups, deacons, priests and bishops.
Here are some provisional figures about the meeting. Some 2,600 volunteers have already pledged their participation (an additional 2,400 are needed). Sixty-six cardinals have registered. Eighty-four delegations are coming from Italy and 45 from the rest of the world (but 100 are expected).
Funds are being raised for families coming from the poorest countries.
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