STEUBENVILLE, OHIO—The World Meeting of Families Congress and Youth Congress—the run-up to the arrival of Pope Francis to Philadelphia on September 26—will feature more than a dozen speakers and musicians who are graduates or professors of Franciscan University of Steubenville.

The theme of the September 22-25 congresses, “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” was inspired by Pope Francis’ message of mercy, joy and love as found at the heart of the Gospel. Thousands of people are expected to attend keynote addresses, breakout sessions, daily Mass, and devotions at the Philadelphia Convention Center and nearby venues.

“At Franciscan University, we seek to educate and evangelize our students and then send them forth as joyful disciples. We are humbled and grateful that so many of our alumni and professor Scott Hahn will be that joyful witness, inspiring thousands of people at this huge gathering honoring Pope Francis and the Church,” said Father O. Sheridan, TOR, president of Franciscan University.

At the Adult Congress, Dr. Scott Hahn, Franciscan University’s Father Michael Scanlan, TOR, Professor of Biblical Theology and the New Evangelization, will speak on “Back to the Garden of Eden: Unearthing God’s Covenant With Humankind.”

Dr. John Grabowski, Class of 1985, will present “The Other Side of Mount Sinai: Growing in Virtue.” Grabowski has taught moral theology at The Catholic University of America for the past 23 years and serves as a theological advisor to the USCCB’s Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family, and Youth.

Sister Regina Marie Gorman, OCD, Class of 2000, a Carmelite sister of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles, will speak on “House Calls: Fostering Vocations in the Home.”

Curtis Martin, MA ’93, founder and CEO of FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students, will speak on “What’s ‘New’ About the New Evangelization.”

Dr. Gregory Popcak, the founder and director of the Pastoral Solutions Institute and his wife, Lisa Popcak, vice president of Pastoral Solutions Institute, both graduates of the Class of 1989, will address “See How They Love One Another: The Family and the Faith.”

Chris Stefanick, Class of 1998, president of Real Life Catholic, will speak on “Priest, Prophet, and King: Living Out Our Baptismal Vocation.”

Dr. Kyle Beiter, Class of 2000, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the National Gianna Center for Women’s Health and Fertility™ that upholds the Catholic Church’s teachings on life, will be part of a joint presentation, “Out of the Depths I Cry to You, O Lord: The Heartbreak of Infertility.”

Running concurrently with the adult conference, the World Meeting of Families Youth Congress will feature presentations by these Franciscan University alumni:

Jason Evert, Class of 1997, with his wife Crystalina, who have  spoken to over one million people about the virtue of chastity, will give two presentations: “Real Romance” and “Is Love Forever?”

Ennie Hickman, Class of 2001, with Adore Ministries, will speak on “A Life of Joy” and “Your Purpose in the World.”

Megan Mastroianni, Class of 2009, a campus minister and youth and young adult speaker, will speak on “Love Is a Vocation” and “A Home for the Wounded Heart.”

Chris Stefanick, Class of 1998, president of Real Life Catholic, will speak on “Faith for Real Life.”

Among the Catholic musicians in Philadelphia are Franciscan University alumni Kevin Heider, Class of 2007, who will perform at the Ascension Café during the Youth Congress; Mark Griswold, Class of 1991, director of the praise and worship band, FireHill Worship; and Martin Doman, Class of 1996, director of Praise and Worship Music Ministry at Ave Maria University. Griswald and Doman will entertain the expected crowd of 1 million people as they await the start of Sunday’s 4:00 p.m. open-air Papal Mass with Pope Francis that will officially close the World Meeting of Families.

Among the throng will be 220 Franciscan University of Steubenville students, led by three Franciscan TOR priests and several Franciscan TOR sisters, who will travel all night from Steubenville to attend the closing Mass.