Marian Helper Winter 2015-2016

W hen Pope Francis arrived at the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia on Sept. 26, he had a speech prepared for the 18,000 people gathered there. But as he lis- tened to families share their emotional stories, in true Pope Francis fashion he put the script aside and spoke from his heart. His candid speech, spoken in his native Spanish, addressed the reality of family life — in all its complexity, brokenness, and beauty. “In families, there is always, always, the cross,” he said, “because the Son of God opened for us this path. Because of this, the family is — for- give the term I’ll use — it is a ‘factory of hope,’ of hope of life and of resurrection.” In no uncertain terms, Pope Francis has placed family matters at the very heart of his pontificate. In writings, talks, interviews, and homilies, he reaffirms the family as the foundation of society and the Church, the privileged place for spread- ing the faith, and a revolutionary choice in a culture that embraces the temporary and dispos- able. And with the Synod on the Family, which convened this fall, he seeks to chart a definitive path for the Church in ministering to — and lis- tening to — families. And it’s worth noting that attending the World Meeting of Families i n September was his original reason for his whirlwind trip to the United States (see pages 19-21 for our coverage of his trip). WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES 2015 family matters By Breanne Reilly 10 M arian H elper • W inter 2015-16 •  marian.org Pope Francis’ address at the Festival of Families at the World Meeting of Families. Some of the major keynote speeches at the World Meeting of Families.