Mark Wahlberg to host Festival of Families; Aretha Franklin, Jim Gaffigan to perform

Mark Wahlberg has been tapped to host The Festival of Families celebration on Saturday, Sept. 26, the World Meeting of Families announced today.

Wahlberg will be joined by artists including Aretha Franklin, The Fray, and comedian Jim Gaffigan, who will all perform as part of the Festival of Families pre-programming during Pope Francis' visit this month. America's Got Talent season five runner-up and Pittsburgh native Jackie Evancho will also perform.

Ultimately, that lineup is not as odd a combination as it seems on first sight. Host Wahlberg was raised Catholic and famously turned his back on a life of crime as a young man after receiving guidance from a local parish priest. Gaffigan, for his part, poked fun at his Catholicism on The Jim Gaffigan Show earlier this year.

Franklin, meanwhile, began her career singing gospel in her father's church at the age of 14. Similarly, Evancho has been described as a having a "strong Catholic faith."

Performances will take place across two stages on Saturday, Sept. 26: The Eakins Oval Stage, and the Logan Square Stage. Specific breakdowns of the performances are as follows:

Eakins Oval Stage: Saturday, Sept. 26
In performance order; Performances begin at 5:27 p.m. EDT
American DanceWheels
Jackie Evancho
Matt Maher
Sister Sledge
Jim Gaffigan

Logan Square Stage: Saturday, Sept. 26
In performance order; Performances begin at 12:45 p.m. EDT
Salvation Army Songsters
Dancing with Students
Christopher Duffley
Saint Raymond of Peafort Gospel Choir
Modero Dance Company
Nigeria/Igbo Community @ St. Cyprian Viva Mas
Mutya Philippine Dance Company
St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Community
Oscuro Quintet
Everything Fitz
Joe Castillo
Osage Ballet Company

Festival programming will also be aired throughout the Francis Festival Grounds on Sept. 26.