Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family; Cardinal Angelo Scola, archbishop of Milan, Italy, and Pierpaolo Donati, professor at the department of sociology of the University of Bologna, Italy, presided at a press conference held in the Holy See Press Office to present the seventh World Meeting of Families, which will take place in Milan from 30 May to 3 June on the theme: “The Family: Work and Celebration”.
Cardinal Antonelli focused his remarks on preparations for the forthcoming event, which was announced by the Holy Father at the end of the last World Meeting of Families, held in Mexico City in 2009. Cardinal Antonelli also presented the “Enchiridion”, a manual bringing together the Apostolic See’s most recent teachings on the subject of the family and human life, dating from the final years of the pontificate of John Paul II and from the pontificate of Benedict XVI. “The aim of the publication”, the cardinal explained, “is to provide a useful consultative instrument for pastoral care workers, associations, pro-life and pro-family movements, academics, teachers and politicians. It covers a wide range of subjects including: the theology and anthropology of the family, … inter-religious marriage, regulation of fertility, demography, the ethic of life from conception to natural death, the ethics of health, the rights of minors, … the family as the subject of evangelisation, … and attention to canonically irregular situations”.
For his part Cardinal Scola noted that the theme of the Milan meeting, “by bringing together the three fundamental aspects of man’s daily life – family, work and rest – highlights two major traits … of human experience all over the world: the uniqueness of individuals and the fact that they are always in relation with others. Thus this seventh World Meeting of Families has interpreted the perennial importance of these questions, and of this particular historical moment”.The archbishop of Milan went on: “The family founded on faithful marriage between a man and a woman, and open to life, over and above all the cultural developments that have affected it, still imposes itself as the best way to generate and raise children. In the family the child … sees the future as a promise.
“Life imposes its rhythm on us”, he added. “It requires us to establish an order between family affections and work. In doing this we are helped by rest, which marks the rhythm of life. … Celebration is the apex of rest, a gratuitous and shared use of time and space which is a source of joy. Man becomes reconciled with himself, with others and with God. It is no coincidence that all religious traditions have always utilised celebration”.
Finally Cardinal Scola of Milan spoke of the interest the seventh World Meeting of Families is arousing in the media. He also provided some statistics on the forthcoming meeting, noting that more than a million faithful are expected to attend the papal Mass, and 300,000 the Feast of Testimonies.