Chai Brady
Families from St Agatha’s Parish prepare for the World Meeting of Families. WMOF 2018
For the last seven months a Dublin family group has been meeting to pray, sing, dance, engage in discussion and enjoy arts and crafts all in preparation for the World Meeting of Families.
The initiative began when the community of the Daughters of Charity who live in St Vincent’s, North William Street, wanted to engage with the preparation for the celebration of the World Meeting of Families 2018 and the visit of Pope Francis.
They issued an invitation and a banner and flyer were made asking all members of families to attend. Grandparents (some of whom support from home), mothers, fathers and children all answered the call.
Programme
Some drop in for one night and others have committed to the 27 sessions and want to continue after Pope Francis’ visit. Up to 20 people come each night and they have continued throughout the summer months.
The group meet for a ‘Family Hour’ in the Marillac Centre, St Vincent’s on North William Street every Thursday from 7-8pm.
The families began with the programme of catechesis provided by the Church and published by Veritas for the WMOF. Every opportunity was used through the liturgical year to engage with the Valentine tokens, the cube of love, the shamrock and the icon.
They engaged with the resources produced for Catholic Schools Week and those provided by the Archdiocese of Dublin for the Family/ School Faith Week in April 2018 and the group also used the Amoris parish presentations and are now watching the Amoris cartoons – all helping to enhance family life.
The children have done beautiful art work throughout the year and much time has been spent on the Icon of the Holy Family, the Bible stories and on the detail of the icon.
The children also decorated a prayer box and people were encouraged to place their petitions in the box. These petitions will be brought to a convent of contemplative nuns and will be prayed over.