The Colombian cardinal, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, will follow the organizational endeavors for the Jan. 23-26 event in the Philippines.
Last Monday, at the end of the Holy Father’s trip to Poland, Vatican spokesman Joaquín Navarro-Valls said a papal visit to Manila for the meeting was being considered.
When announcing the cardinal’s appointment on Saturday, the Vatican gave no further details about the possible papal visit.
In 1994, John Paul II made the Pontifical Council for the Family the point of reference for celebrations and manifestations for the International Year of the Family. The first meeting of the Holy Father with families from all over the world was held that October in Rome.
Another meeting was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1997. A third meeting took place, again in Rome, in October 2000, for the Jubilee of Families.
