Volunteers Needed for September Papal Visit

The Philadelphia region will most likely be in pandemonium when Pope Francis visits the city during the last week of September. The group organizing the event has put the call out for some help to manage the madness, expecting at least 10,000 volunteers needed to make the visit run as smoothly as possible.

The World Meeting of Families announced Monday that it is now accepting online volunteer registrations from the public. Help will be need for the conference beginning Sept. 22 through Sept. 25, followed by the papal visit Sept. 26 and Sept. 27.

More than 100 opportunities are currently available to help during the Festival of Families and Papal Mass, with much more expected when Pope Francis’ itinerary is finalized and made public.

Signing up involves a little bit more than just raising a hand, according to the site. The online form comes with three a required level three background check. The check typically takes about one to two days to process, and the World Meeting of Families will assume the $28 fee, although registrants can donate the cost to the organization.

Volunteers with bilingual and multilingual skills will be especially helpful with translation needs. Other jobs available include greeters at the Philadelphia International Airport and social media support.

“This event will undoubtedly be one of the largest in Philadelphia’s history,” said Donna Crilley Farrell, executive director. “We gratefully invite volunteers to play a special role in this event and to serve as the welcoming face of Philadelphia to all of our domestic and international guests.”

(Photo: Wikipedia.org)