The family must always be missionary – Archbishop Martin

WMOF 2018

Tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over Ireland have gathered in cathedrals across the country for simaltenous opening ceremonies for the World Meeting of Families.
In Dublin, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin presided at evening prayer in the RDS – the main site of WMOF which is expected to attract some 37,000 pilgrims every day.
He said that “there are those who would look at the World Meeting as some sort of ideological gathering to celebrate a type of family which probably does not exist.
“Whatever of the past, here in Dublin the World Meeting is something much more profound: it is to reflect the opening words of our reading: ‘You are God’s chosen race; he loves you’”.
Dr Martin said the messsage “is simple yet profound”.
He described the family as the domestic Church before insisting that “the family must be the place where all these dimensions of the Christian life are deepened and lived.
“The family is not a closed place but must always be missionary and have that same drive towards the periphery, towards those who are marginalised, which Pope Francis presents as a fundamental dimension of the Church”.
Dr Martin said that all present were welcome at the gathering adding “I greet all the families present in the variety of their expression”.