We are now less than three weeks away from the arrival of Pope Francis to visit the United States.

As you are probably aware, he will spend several days in Washington D.C. where he will meet with the bishops of the United States as well as with President Obama at the White House. Later, the Holy Father will address a joint session of Congress.

In the course of his stay in Washington, he will also canonize Father Junipero Serra, a missionary who evangelized the Native Americans of California in the 1600s.

Pope Francis will then travel to New York City for two days. There he will address the United Nations, following the footsteps of Pope Paul VI, Pope St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

He will visit a Catholic school in East Harlem, acknowledging the great work of service and evangelization done by our Catholic schools both historically and in our present day in the United States. His stay in New York will conclude with a Mass at Madison Square Garden.

The final stop on the visit of Pope Francis is what he has described as the central reason for his apostolic visit. He will travel to Philadelphia for the final days of his visit to be part of the eighth World Meeting of Families that will be concluding at the same time.

Organized by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Family, the World Meeting of Families is an international event of prayer, catechesis, and celebration that draws participants from around the globe.

It seeks to strengthen the bonds between families and to witness to the crucial importance of marriage and family to all of society. The theme of this meeting is “Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.”

The Pope’s visit to Philadelphia will include a visit to a correctional facility to highlight his constant concerns that the Church reach out to those who are on the margins or in some ways unable to be present to the Church.

He will also visit Independence Mall in Philadelphia where he will speak about religious freedom. This talk will be especially important given the grave concerns about our freedom to practice our Catholic faith in the American society.

Finally, on Sunday afternoon, Pope Francis will celebrate Mass to conclude the World Meeting of Families. That Mass is expected to be attended by anywhere from 1 million-2 million people. More than 6,000 busloads of people are anticipated to descend on Philadelphia to join Pope Francis.

As we know, the pressures on family life and the deterioration of the strength of the family in the Church and in the world has been a major concern of Pope Francis since he was elected as the successor of Peter. So important is this issue in the mind of the Holy Father that for two consecutive years he has convened a meeting of bishops in Rome to discuss how to strengthen the family.

I would suggest that the visit of the Holy Father should be an occasion for all of us to examine our hearts and our faith to strengthen them in two particular areas:

n First, Francis is the pope, the successor of St. Peter in our day. That is not simply a title. It is a reality of faith.

Peter, the fearful and sometimes bombastic member of the Apostles was chosen by Christ to bear a particular responsibility that continues in every age. “On this rock, I will build my Church.”

And He further told Peter, “I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.”

Let us reflect upon our trust in Christ to work through the Apostles, through the Church, through the Holy Father, through the humanity of the Body of Christ.

n Second, we should be praying and reflecting upon the family. We know the stresses and challenges it faces today. But what are we doing within our own families to make them our own domestic Church where Jesus is pleased to dwell?

Are we praying within our families? Do we read the Bible together? That might mean turning off the television and even the internet so that we can share, parents and children, husbands and wives, time of prayer together.

Are we attending Mass together, as a family? Are we making individual confession a part of family life, even as the children grow older?

These are just some of the ways that we can strengthen our hearts and our faith to see in the family the precious gathering that will be so important for every member on the road to heaven.

Let’s use the visit of the Holy Father as a moment to renew our commitment to the Church, to the role of the Holy Father and to the family.

Pope Francis, welcome to the United States!