The World Meeting of Families (WMOF) takes place in Rome from Wednesday 22 to Sunday 26 June and Pope Francis has asked that the emphasis be placed on celebrating family life within the local church in dioceses and parishes.
The World Meeting of Families was instituted by Pope St John Paul II in 1994. The week is organised and promoted by the Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.
The theme for the 10th World Meeting of Families is Family Love: a vocation and a path to Holiness.
The Holy Father will preside at Mass live from St Peters Square, Vatican City at 17.15 (Rome time) on Saturday 25th June. A full program of events can be viewed here.
Bishop David has encouraged parish participation and hopes many parishes will enjoy celebrations even if they are “impromptu”.
“I am looking forward to celebrating the Thanksgiving Service for Families taking place in our Cathedral on Sunday 26th June at 2pm. Please know that every family throughout the diocese is remembered in my daily rosary. One thing is for sure, we need to listen to our families as we also continue to reflect on what it means to be a synodal Church, to receive the wisdom and challenges of their experience, and to do what we are able to support those who are struggling and feeling overwhelmed by things”.
The marriage and family life team have offered some ideas for celebrating in your parish communities:
- Parish picnic/BBQ on Saturday 25 June pre Sat Vigil Mass with bidding prayers tailored to families or young people’s concerns. Children’s liturgy groups could ask the children to reflect on “Family love”. The CELEBRATE Trust have also developed some prayer stations with catechist notes which may be helpful for children’s activities: https://www.celebratetrust.org/celebratehome-prayer-stations
- Pizza party with games followed by evening prayer or Rosary for the Family: http://www.laityfamilylife.va/content/laityfamilylife/en/amoris-laetitia/iniziative-e-risorse/rosario-per-la-famiglia.html
- A parish family day with a local parish team helping to organise the day celebrating families – perhaps link with the live streaming from Rome. Pope Francis is celebrating Mass from St Peter’s on Saturday 25th June at 16:30 UK time (17:30 Rome) – please refer to programme. https://www.romefamily2022.com/en/programma/
Please let us know if you hold an event and if possible send through some digital photos (with approvals) so that we can build a joyful montage of our parish families celebrating family love together for the Diocesan website/newsletter.