Our Mother of Consolation is located in Chestnut Hill at 9 East Chestnut Hill Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19118, just a few minutes north of downtown Philadelphia. Our Mother of Consolation Parish has been preparing for Pope Francis’ visit for over a year.
Preparing meant a lot of introspection and study – it can really help prepare the heart and mind for dialogue in a spiritual way and not just a sensational way.”
The three-prong approach to parish preparation begins with education. OMC has educated its parish family by hosting a multitude of programs, including a book discussion group in the spring focused on the official Catechesis of the 8th World Meeting of Families, “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” a step-by-step account of Catholic theology.
[The Catechesis] explains Catholic basics about Jesus, love, mercy, creation and the Church, and how these things connect with day-to-day moral issues in family life and our culture. If you want to understand the common denominator between Catholic beliefs about serving the poor, creating community and sexuality, this is the book for you.
On a practical level, different chapters of the book set the schedule for the World Meeting of Families Congress at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. In the days before the Pope arrives, various speakers will address the book’s themes during the congress.
OMC will host a second book discussion group at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, in the Parish Center. This discussion will focus on Chris Lowney’s “Pope Francis: Why He Leads the Way He Leads.”
For children, booklets and pamphlets about Pope Francis will be handed out in early September to teach children about the Pope and his role in the Church and the world. “Meet Pope Francis,” a children’s booklet written by Connie Clark with colorful illustrations by Jim Burrows, explains that “Pope Francis is many things to many people. To Catholics, he is Christ’s representative – the shepherd who teaches and leads God’s people. To world leaders, he is a voice for justice who helps bring countries together in peace.” OMC Parish School will foster children’s understanding of the Pope in early September during school hours as well.
For spiritual preparation, OMC parish prays the prayer of the World Meeting of Families at Mass and encourages families to pray together at home. A life-size cutout of Pope Francis at the school also sparks children’s curiosity and, of course, poses for selfies.
On June 10, 1855, a plot of land was purchased on Chestnut Hill Avenue. Amidst a crowd large enough to fill sixteen traincars, the cornerstone was laid at the church then known St. Mary’s in November that same year.
In 1862, religious education classes began in a small tenant house on the grounds by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. Later, The Sisters of Saint Joseph founded Mount Saint Joseph’s Academy in 1871 and Chestnut Hill College in 1924.
You can find more information on their website at http://omcparish.com/omcchurch07/par-gi3.php
Pope Francis In Philadelphia 