Posted June 18, 2015

The Archdiocese for the Military Services in the United States is sending military families to the World Meeting of Families and the papal events Sept. 22-27 in Philadelphia.

Thanks to donors calling in to a Catholic radio program, the archdiocese will help 10 families with scholarships of $700 each to defray expenses for the trip.

The offer is limited to two families per branch of service — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard. The application deadline is June 30 (see the application).

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Money for the scholarships was donated by callers to the radio talk show “Seize the Day,” with Gus Lloyd, on Sirius XM’s The Catholic Channel, during a December 2014 live interview with the archdiocese’s Vice-Chancellor for Evangelization Mark Moitoza and Young Adult Coordinator Casey Bustamante.

The one-hour program raised more than $7,000, Moitoza said, “to help military families focus on their primary mission of love, the family. Donors called in and shared stories about relatives who served in the past, or a son or daughter currently deployed. Many just wanted to express gratitude both verbally and financially.”

Military families will be able to share their experiences of the World Meetings of Families through personal witness, video and written reflections, Moitoza said, expressing his gratitude to “the producers of ‘Seize the Day’ and the many listeners who pray for those who serve and their families.”

The eighth World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia will consist of an adult congress and a concurrent youth congress (Sept. 22-25), followed by the Festival of Families (Sept. 26) and the Papal Mass (Sept. 27).

The adult congress is for ages 18 and up, and consists of several keynote addresses presented by internationally known speakers. These speeches will be followed by multiple breakout sessions to address ways to strengthen the bonds of family.

The Youth Congress is for ages 6-17 and is an interactive program where young people can build, create, play, listen, serve and embrace family life.

Questions about the scholarships for military families may be directed to Bustamante or Moitoza at 202-719-3600.