Brenda Drumm, Media and Communications Manager, WMOF 2018 More than 40% of those who will attend the World Meeting of Families in the RDS will come from overseas, giving the capital a huge injection of visitors.
The three-day pastoral congress takes place from August 22-24 and is seen as an opportunity to reflect on the key themes chosen by Pope Francis for the event.
Some 37,000 people are registered for the pastoral congress which will include activities for teenagers and young adults on the campus of the Royal Dublin Society (RDS).
Of the 37,000 people registered, some 15,000 are overseas visitors while the remaining participants come from Ireland’s 26 dioceses.
There is also strong interest amongst younger pilgrims, with organisers saying that 6,000 people under the age of 18 are registered to attend.
Brenda Drumm, Media and Communications Manager with WMOF2018, told The Irish Catholic, “we can also see that we have a lot of young families”.
Amongst the speakers at the pastoral congress will be US-based Bishop Robert Barron as well as Cardinal Blaise Cupich and Cardinal Sean O’Malley. Themed ‘The Gospel of the Family: joy for the world’ the event will include workshops, talks as well as opportunities for prayer, worship and reflection.