Archbishop Paglia: ‘Strong families means strong societies’

Archbishop Paglia: ‘Strong families means strong societies’

(Vatican Radio) Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia – President of the Pontifical Council for the Family – is attending the 8th World Meeting of Families taking place in Philadelphia (September 22-25). 

Pope Francis, who is on his 10-day Apostolic Journey to Cuba, the United States, and the United Nations in New York, arrives in Philadelphia on Saturday to attend the Meeting and to celebrate the closing Mass on Sunday.

Vatican Radio’s Chris Altieri asked Archbishop Paglia if he was pleased with the progress of the first five days of the World Meeting of Families.

“Absolutely! I’m astonished!”, Archbishop Paglia exclaimed.  He praised the beauty of the convention center chock full of children and families, saying it was difficult to walk because of the “blessed confusion”. 

Asking himself what the World Meeting of Families means for the world, Archbishop Paglia said “it is possible to live together, among families, in joy and in hope”, despite the borders and indifference of the real world. 

“From Philadelphia starts a new passion, a new hope, a new engagement in order to support, to help, and to promote families in the world.”

The Archbishop concluded by emphasizing the link between the family and society, saying “it is really, really clear now: strong families means strong societies and feeble families means feeble societies”. 

(Devin Sean Watkins)

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