WHAT IS THE
WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES?
The World Meeting of Families is an international gathering of families first initiated by Pope St John Paul II in 1994 in the Diocese of Rome. Click here for more info.
Given the impact of the global pandemic, dioceses all over the world will participate in the celebrations scheduled to happen in June. Celebrations in the Archdiocese of Sydney will be celebrated over the period Friday 24 June to Sunday 26 June with the encouragement of Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP
Promote participation of the families in your parish and school communities using the resources here
Friday June 24th Prepare your heart with The Sacred Heart
Enthrone the Sacred Heart in your home using the resource here
Plan and prepare for the Saturday’s local pilgrimage together as a family by using the guidebook below and the resources on pilgrimage and relics here
Gather with other families in your parish to prepare for pilgrimage together and receive a family pilgrimage blessing (also in guidebook below).
Saturday June 25th Pilgrimage with the Holy Family
Use the guidebook to journey as a family to venerate the relics of saints at up to 8 pilgrimage locations around Sydney (see page 5 of guidebook for more)
Collect stickers at 2 sites or more to display on your children’s pilgrimage passport to enter into a lucky draw on Sunday (T&Cs apply see below for details)
Sunday June 26th Celebrate the Eucharist with your Family
Join us for 10:30am Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral with a special blessing of families by Archbishop Fisher.
Stay on afterward for a ‘festival of families’ with free food, coffee, stalls, activities for children, live music and lucky draw
(T&Cs here) For catering purposes click going on the Facebook event here
Schedule:
10:30am Mass at St Mary’s Cathdral Sydney
11:30am Festival Commences
12:30pm Lucky draw
1:30pm Festival ends
OFFICIAL PRAYER FOR THE
WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES 2022
Heavenly Father,
We come before You to praise You
and to thank You for the great gift of the family.
We pray to You for all families
consecrated by the Sacrament of Matrimony.
May they rediscover each day the grace they have received,
and as small domestic Churches,
may they know how to witness to Your presence
and to the love with which Christ loves the Church.
We pray to You for all families faced with difficulty and suffering
caused by illness or circumstances of which only You know.
Sustain them and make them aware
of the path to holiness upon which You call them,
so that they might experience Your infinite mercy
and find new ways to grow in love.
We pray to You for children and young people:
may they encounter You and respond joyfully
to the vocation You have in mind for them;
We pray for parents and grandparents: may they be aware
that they are signs of the fatherhood and motherhood of God
in caring for the children who, in body and spirit, You entrust to them;
and for the experience of fraternity that the family can give to the world
Lord, grant that each family
might live their specific vocation to holiness in the Church
as a call to become missionary disciples,
in the service of life and peace,
in communion with our priests, religious,
and all vocations in the Church.