Greg Daly
Pope Francis in Pro Cathedral, Dublin The Pope in Ireland
Chai Brady and Greg Daly
Meeting new families
Highlighting how he is in Ireland to preside over the closing stages of the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) in St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, the Pope praised marriage as being “about a love that gives rise to new life”.
Recalling how Christian marriage is a sacrament sustained by Christ’s love, the Pontiff urged the gathered couples to remember daily Christ’s constant presence and his promise not to fail or abandon them.
Praising long-married couples as examples to newlyweds and to people considering marriage, who he encouraged to take the risk of getting married, the Pontiff described how a newly-married couple had asked him how parents can pass the Faith on to their children.
While carefully-prepared catechetical programmes are “essential”, he said, “the first and most important place for passing on the Faith is the home, through the quiet daily example of parents who love our Lord and trust in his word”.
Children learn the meaning of fidelity, integrity and sacrifice in the “domestic Church” through watching their parents, he said, explaining that they can in that way “breathe in the fresh air of the Gospel and learn to understand, judge and act in a manner worthy of the legacy of Faith they have received”.
Experience
Explaining that it is difficult for children to grow up in the Faith unless they are taught it in their “real mother tongue”, the Pope described from his own experience how it is beautiful for children to learn the language of love and Faith from seeing their parents.
He encouraged parents to pray with their children as family, celebrate Christian feasts, speak of holy things and make space for Mary in family life, living in deep solidarity with those who suffer and are at the edges of society.
“Your children will learn how to share the goods of the earth with everyone, if they see how their parents take care of others poorer or less fortunate than themselves,” he said.
Urging parents to be their children’s “first teachers in the Faith” and to encourage their children to learn to converse and learn from their grandparents, he recalled that the Christian virtues are not necessarily fashionable, and lamented how the world has “little use for the weak, the vulnerable and all those it deems ‘unproductive’”.
“By your example,” the Pontiff said, “may your children be guided to become a kinder, more loving, more Faith-filled generation, for the renewal of the Church and Irish society.”
Humorous
The newly married and engaged couples were “overwhelmed” and “privileged” Pope Francis spoke to them in the pro cathedral.
From across Ireland’s 26 dioceses, 350 couples swarmed the cathedral in Dublin for the first pastoral portion of Francis’ journey to Ireland for the WMOF.
The address was described as both humorous and informal, with the Pope telling couples never to go to sleep without resolving conflicts.
Met with laughter, he said: “I want to ask you: did you quarrel a lot? But that is part of marriage! A marriage without arguments is pretty boring…”
“Yet there is a secret: plates can even fly, but the secret is to make up before the end of the day.
“And to make up there is no need to talk; a caress is enough, like that, and peace returns.
He said if couples don’t “make up” before going to bed, the “cold war” the following day is too dangerous and “resentments build up”.
“Yes, fight all you want, but make up at night,” he added.
Cashel & Emly
James & Cora McCarthy
Two schoolteachers from just outside Cashel will be bringing word of their experience in the pro cathedral to their pupils.
After being married for just 12 months, they said it was an opportunity they had to take. “We’re actually expecting our first child as well, it just seemed like the perfect time, the perfect opportunity,” Cora said.
“I thought it was very modern, it was light-hearted. It wasn’t what I expected it to be. From the minute we got in, the way we were greeted and the way the whole thing was MC’d it was very light-hearted and modern and very comfortable.”
Limerick
Eoghan and Ruth Ahern
Pope Francis described a baby crying during the ceremony in the pro cathedral as “music”, which this Limerick couple really appreciated.
Ruth said altogether it was an “amazing and emotional experience”, and was surprised at the informal approach of the Pope. “There were babies crying and he loved the sound of the ‘music’ that was coming from the babies, he took it in a good way and he was laughing it off instead of giving out,” she said.
Eoghan said he felt a bit apprehensive before attending the pro cathedral address.
“My cousin is training to become a priest. He’s in Rome but he’s back here at the moment, but he had said he met the Pope and it was an amazing experience, and you know you’re kind of like ‘Ah Mark would you relax’, but I have to say it was overwhelming. I had goosebumps for most of it. He talks so normally, it was like having a chat with your grandad.”
Down & Connor
Lisa and Mark Thompson
Married for eight months, Lisa and Mark found the Pope’s advice about talking to couples with long-term marriage experience very practical.
A couple who have been married for 50 years, Vincent and Theresa, spoke at the event. Mark said: “I like how he spoke about fighting and asking people who are older for advice, as they have the wisdom of marriage.”
“We’re pretty devout Catholics so it was a pretty unbelievable experience,” he added.
Meath
Kelly O’Brien and Donal McCaffrey
Donal said it was a “privilege” to see the Pope and to represent his parish and diocese at such a “momentous occasion”.
He said: “We were hanging on every word – some very practical advice. He was very charismatic, his warmth with the couples who spoke – the couple who were 50 years married – and then the engaged and recently married, he was so warm in his interactions with them afterwards.”
Kelly and Donal will get married in 6 weeks, adding they felt his advice included “every step” of what marriage entails.