In a letter to married couples, Pope Francis invites us to share our smile! The new format of the World Meeting of Families is taking shape: in local churches and in Rome.
For all couples, a Gospel message
On the occasion of the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, on 26 December, Pope Francis was kind enough to send a beautiful letter to “spouses throughout the world”. It is a universal and evangelical message that can reach couples in our different churches.
With his familiar and direct style, he expresses his affection for us, reminds us of the particularities of our vocation to marriage and encourages us to participate actively in family ministry! And he concludes:
“Live out your vocation with enthusiasm. Never allow your faces to grow sad or gloomy; your husband or wife needs your smile. Your children need your looks of encouragement. Your priests and other families need your presence and your joy: the joy that comes from the Lord!
This letter of Pope Francis, available in 8 languages, is to be read as a couple and why not shared in a group!
The 10th World Meeting of Families 2022
A new format throughout the world and a pastoral kit in 5 languages
This year, the format of the World Meeting of Families (22-26 June 2022) has changed completely. For the first time, together with Pope Francis, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has asked each diocese to organise this meeting in particular churches.
To prepare for this meeting throughout the world, the Dicastery has recently published a pastoral kit (to download in 5 languages) for dioceses and family ministry movements.
In Rome, a conference accessible online
In Rome, there will be no big “Congress” or stands, as there were at the last meeting in Dublin in 2015 and in Philadelphia in 2018. The meeting in Rome will bring together a limited number of representatives of movements and associations for the family.
However, some of the highlights and training sessions will be broadcast live on the internet.
The main lines of the conference programme are defined in a pastoral kit. The programme is very varied and comprehensive, and addresses the major issues facing couples and families today as well as family ministry.
The Dicastery states that “The World Meeting is part of the Church’s current synodal journey and can be a valuable experience of participation, communion and mission for families”.
CANA and the World Meeting of Families
CANA is preparing to contribute to this major event in three ways:
- in each country where CANA is present
- sending representatives to participate in the Conference in Rome and
- gathering its national leaders in Rome at the same time (20-26 June 2022).