WMOF delegate Olivia Elliot stands beside the Icon of the Holy Family with her two sons David and Michael, and her mother Anne O'Connor. Olivia Elliot
The ninth World Meeting of Families, celebrating the joy of being part of God’s family of families, will be opened in Cathedrals throughout Ireland in less than five months’ time. The countdown is underway and the excitement is really tangible. In the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore we are in preparation mode.
On Mothers’ Day, Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan launched the WMOF Preparation in the Diocese with a Mass in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. He blessed the Icon that day – our Diocesan Holy Family Icon. It has since been travelling the length and breadth of our diocese together with a special bell as a ‘Call to Prayer’ for all families.
Each parish has taken up the call in a unique and different way. Some parishes have brought the Icon to schools and nursing homes, others have prepared special celebrations for families in the church; one even completed a mini camino with it. Just as each family is unique, so too is the way that each parish has incorporated the icon into their family of families. The icon and bell remind us of our part in preparing for this special and unique event.
Opening
The Murphy family, from Kilmeaden, played an important part when they represented the Waterford and Lismore Diocese in Knock, last August, for the Official Opening there. It marked the one-year date to the opening of the WMOF in Ireland. Christine spoke of the privilege it was to be there with her family.
The parishes of the diocese have really come on board with the different Initiatives to celebrate the significant and popular family moments. These included the Christmas Icon Card, the Amoris Cube for the First Holy Communion Children, the St Patrick’s Day car stickers, among many others. The general feedback I have received has been very encouraging.
Many parishes and clusters in Waterford and Lismore are currently either running, or preparing to run, the parish Amoris conversations. Lots of lay people rose to the challenge of facilitating these conversations; building up the body of the church.
While we Irish are more used to just getting on with family life; this initiative offers the opportunity to stop and reflect on family life today, with Pope Francis’ ‘Amoris Laetitia: The Joy of Love’, as the backdrop to the conversations. The materials are engaging and accessible to all. I have enjoyed the conversations here in my own parish, with lots of food for thought, both from the video clips and the thought-provoking contributions of my peers. Our own group includes people who are single, married and widowed.
Another touching moment was the first year students’ Mass in my local parish of Tramore and Carbally, during Catholic Schools’ Week. It was a beautiful celebration and I was overjoyed to hear them singing the official WMOF hymn – ‘A Joy for all the Earth’ – really engaging with the WMOF material.
We were blessed to have the national WMOF icon of the holy family here in our diocese just after Christmas. Bishop Cullinan led a Holy Hour for Families on the evening that it arrived in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. He reflected upon each of the beautiful images on the icon and how they relate to our lives today. Bishop Cullinan then celebrated Mass for all families. One comment made was that the icon really drew you in to pray and reflect with the Holy Family.
The Waterford and Lismore Diocesan Liturgy Committee prepared beautiful booklets in preparation for the WMOF. The initial one, a beautiful card with family prayers, took up the theme of the WMOF. This was followed with an Advent Preparation card. Then, the Lenten booklet, linked once again to WMOF. I would like to acknowledge their commitment and compliment them on their work. Thanks also to Mary for preparing numerous Café Theology discussions around the theme of family.
We here in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore are also preparing for a delegation from Brazil, who will visit us just before the WMOF begins. They are part of an ACN (Aid to the Church in Need) initiative; adding to the international element of the WMOF. It is also a reminder of the need to pray for other Christians throughout the world.
I would like to take this opportunity to really thank the steering committee: the WMOF Waterford and Lismore Diocesan Committee, who have been working tirelessly for over a year. It is a pleasure to be part of this dedicated and committed group. We have a few other plans up our sleeves, but I don’t want to give too much away just yet.
There are exciting times ahead – for the Catholic Church in Ireland and for families. While we are building momentum for the big event next August, we are also building relationships and skills that will help to keep the legacy of WMOF 2018 going long after the event itself.
Olivia Elliot is the WMOF delegate for the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.
WMOF bell sounds call to prayer
Brendan O’Brien
A procession was led by the Bishop of Waterford, Alphonsus Cullinan, from the new carpark in Durrow along the Greenway to mark last October’s opening of the 2018 World Meeting of Families in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore.
The bishop was accompanied by a growing number of walkers as the group arrived at the various access points on their way to Abbeyside Church.
The walk was preceded by an icon of the Holy Family, donated by Fr Billy Meehan, and a special bell provided for the historic occasion symbolising the traditional Christian call to prayer dating back to St Patrick himself.
“While the centre of the celebrations will be in the Archdiocese of Dublin,” said Bishop Cullinan, “it will be a country-wide event.
“So, we have events like these happening around the country and will continue in the run-up to the World Meeting of Families,” he continued.
He said that adding the bell was something he had decided himself, and is unique to the diocese.
“The tradition was that as each Christian community, when its church was set up – each parish in effect – St Patrick would donate a bell to the priest whom he had probably ordained also.
“The purpose of the ringing of the bell was to call people to prayer and so, we have this bell beginning its journey around the Diocese which people can ring to call people to prayer today.”
When the little procession reached St Augustine’s the Icon and Bell were installed on the altar and the congregation were invited to come and venerate the image of the Holy family. The bell was rung by a member of the congregation and by Bishop Cullinan.
Having been in Abbeyside Church through the course of the following week, it was brought to St Laurence’s Church in Ballinroad on Sunday, November 5 and then visited St Vincent de Paul Church, Garranbane for both congregations to venerate the icon of the Holy Family and ring the bell.
Brendan O’Brien is the chair of the Abbeyside Parish Pastoral Council.