VATICAN CITY (CNS): In a message via satellite from the Vatican, Pope John Paul II told an international gathering of families in the Philippines that while marriage and family life may not always be easy they are crucial to witnessing Christ in the world.
The Pope’s video appearance on January 25, cheered by about 500,000 people at a Manila park, was the highlight of the January 22-26 Fourth World Meeting of Families. It marked the first time the 82 year-old pontiff was unable to personally attend the encounter, which is held every three years.
At a noon blessing on January 26, the Pope said the Manila meeting underscored the value of the family for society – but he stressed he was talking about the traditional family, not “that inauthentic family based on individual selfishness”.
Speaking in English, the Pope said that by embracing the Gospel and living its truths families were carrying out a demanding responsibility in a changing world.
The Pope announced that the next World Meeting of Families would take place in Valencia, Spain in 2006.
