"I am for doing good to the poor, but I differ in opinion of the means.
I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty,
but leading or driving them out of it."
Ben Franklin, November, 1766
I was born here and have lived in Philadelphia for 66 years and am very excited and inspired that on September 26h and 27th, 2015, the spirit that is Ben Franklin welcomes Pope Francis to his city of Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love.
The city is opening her arms in gratitude to welcome this great humanitarian who embodies Mr. Spock's logic from Star Trek, "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."
As an ordained minister in an ecumenical church and with a lifelong heritage based in Judaism, I am proud he chose our city to spread his warmth and joy to the many.
In this spirit of compassion, love and empathy, I joyfully read today's breaking news:
*Pope Francis Calls on Parishes to House Refugee Families...
* VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican will shelter families of refugees who are "fleeing death" ...
• Pope Francis Plans to Make It Easier for Couples to Have Marriage Annulled,
Join us, along with hundreds of thousands of people from around the globe in Philadelphia for the 8th World Meeting of Families (WMOF) in a few weeks in September.
Pope Francis will arrive on Saturday, September 26 and speak at Independence Hall before celebrating at the Festival of Families, a massive free party held on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
And on the afternoon of Sunday, September 27, the Pope will say a mass for hundreds of thousands of people, also on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
We are excited to begin the countdown to the World Meeting of Families- Philadelphia 2015 - We hope you will be there!
"The family which experiences the joy of faith communicates it naturally. That family is the salt of the earth and the light of the world; it is the heaven of society."
Pope Francis, October 27, 2013
Linda Noble Topf
www.wheelchairwisdom.com
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