'Gospel of the family, joy for the world' is theme of
Dublin WMF
(Vatican Radio) ‘The Gospel
of the family, joy for the world’ is the theme for the 9th World Meeting of
Families which will take place in Dublin from August 22nd to 26th 2018.
The event was presented at a
press conference in the Vatican on Tuesday by the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid
Martin and by the head of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Archbishop
Vincenzo Paglia.
“Remember, Dublin begins
today”. Those words were spoken by Pope Francis to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin
at the start of the 2015 Synod on the family, shortly after the venue for the
next World Meeting of Families had been announced in Philadelphia.
This international gathering
may still be more than two years away, but as Archbishop Martin pointed out, it
is not an isolated event: rather, it’s an extended process of discernment,
encouragement, accompaniment and animation, as well as an important milestone
in the application of the Synod’s final document 'Amoris Letitia'.
Ireland's strong family
culture
Archbishop Martin noted that
while the meeting will be an event for the universal Church, it’s also a
significant experience for Irish families in particular. Ireland, he stressed,
is a young country, that maintains a strong family culture, though many people
suffer the effects of a housing crisis and severe economic difficulties. The
upcoming world meeting, he said, must be an occasion “to encourage and sustain
families” in the many challenges they face.
Papal visit to Ireland?
Responding to journalists’
questions, both Church leaders said it’s too early to say whether Pope Francis
will be attending the meeting, though they noted it’s been nearly 40
years since the last papal visit of John Paul II in 1979. Due to the IRA murder
of Lord Moutbatten in Ireland just a month before, the Polish Pope’s planned
trip to Northern Ireland was cancelled, so they said there was a desire for
Pope Francis to meet with politicians and leaders of the other Churches there,
as well as with the Catholic population in the North.
Ecumenism and interfaith
participation
Ecumenical and interfaith
encounters, the archbishops said, will be a vital part of the preparation
process to highlight the importance of supporting families – especially in
European countries where the number of births is often well below the
replacement rate. They hope the emphasis on joy at the heart of family life can
help the Church in Ireland and throughout the world, rediscover the missionary
vocation of families as the cornerstone of modern societies.
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