March 18, 2015

Ogdensburg - Bishop Terry R. LaValley has selected ten representatives from the Diocese of Ogdensburg to participate in the World Meeting of Families to be held Sept. 22-25 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The delegates are Father Douglas Lucia, episcopal vicar for worship and family life and pastor of St. Mary’s in Canton;  Stephen Tartaglia, diocesan family life director; Pamela Ballantine, Plattsburgh regional director of faith formation; Jamie Burns, teacher and DRE at St. Mary’s Parish in Canton; Marika Donders, director of the diocesan Office of the New Evangelization; Father Thomas Higman, parochial vicar of St. Bernard’s in Saranac Lake; Deacon Henry and Dayna Leader, diocesan Pre-Cana coordinators; and John and Colleen Miner, diocesan directors of respect life ministry.

The congress will welcome top speakers and participants, Catholic and non-Catholic, from across the United States and the world to discuss ways of strengthening and supporting families and the challenges they face.
The theme for the meeting is “Love is our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.”

Others interested in attending the World Meeting of Families will find details and registration information at www.worldmeeting2015.org.

Pope’s arrival
Pope Francis is expected to arrive in Philadelphia Sept. 26 and will take part in a Festival of Families that day. On Sept. 27, he will celebrate a Mass in the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

The papal Mass is free and open to the public; more than a million worshippers are expected.

The Diocese of Ogdensburg will be provide bus transportation to and from the Papal Mass.  At this time, three buses have been reserved with pick-ups in Plattsburgh, Massena and Watertown. The cost for a seat on the bus is $100.

“There are 52 seats per bus, and so far we’ve had about 135 people reserve seats,” Tartaglia said. “If we fill the buses and have a waiting list we will try to get an additional bus. At this point it seems likely that this will happen.”

The tentative itinerary for the bus trip begins with an 8 p.m. departure Sept. 26. The buses have a restroom, but rest stops will be made along the way.  In addition, there will be a stop at a restaurant on the turnpike for breakfast. 

The expected arrival in Philadelphia is about 5:30 a.m. The trip will require a significant amount of walking to get to/from the bus drop-off and pick-up location. Immediately following the papal Mass, travelers will meet at the pick-up location for departure around 4 p.m.

On the return trip, the buses will stop at a restaurant for dinner, make a few rest stops along the way and arrive back in the diocese at around midnight.

Information about traveling by bus to the papal Mass, is available from Mr. Tartaglia, at startaglia@rcdony.org, or 315-393-2920 Ext. 1420.