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Chester County Press

Kennett Square family chosen to represent U.S. at World Meeting of Families in Rome

05/31/2022 01:39PM ● By Steven Hoffman
Damon and Melanie Owens of Kennett Square have been honored with an invitation to represent the United States at the upcoming World Meeting of Families in Rome. Damon and Melanie Owens are one of just twelve couples invited by the U.S. bishops to their 30-member U.S. delegation.
“We were surprised - and thrilled - to say the least at the unexpected honor,” said Damon Owens on receiving the invitation. 
“Our family has such great memories of the 2015 World Meeting of Families,” Melanie added, “this one sounds very different, but we hope to listen, learn, and share our thoughts on the realities of family life here in the U.S.”
In 2015, Philadelphia was the host of the worldwide event where Pope Francis joined more than 20,000 festival attendees and over one million visitors who filled Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the closing papal Mass.
This year’s invitation-only event will feature just 2000 delegates representing each nation under the theme “Family Love: a Vocation and a Path to Holiness.”
In a video message, Pope Francis said that the upcoming World Meeting of Families “is a wonderful opportunity to devote ourselves with enthusiasm to family ministry with spouses, families, and pastors together.”
“Take courage, then, dear pastors and dear families, and help each other to organize meetings in the dioceses and parishes on every continent,” he urged.
A World Meeting of Families has been held since 1994 every three years and in different places around the world. The pattern followed has always been fairly similar, with an international Theological-Pastoral Congress at the start and ending, in the presence of the Pope, with a vigil and Festival of Families along with a great final Eucharistic celebration.  
The Owens’ have eight children including two through adoption and have been in marriage and family ministry for nearly thirty years. They are parishioners of St. Patrick Church in Kennett Square, and currently fundraising to make this trip possible through their ministry Joyful Ever After. Tax-deductible donations can be made at www.joyfuleverafter.org.