The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has welcomed the announcement that Pope Francis will attend part of the 9th World Meeting of Families in August in Dublin. The 81-year old Pontiff will take part in the ‘Festival of Families’ in Croke Park.
The Festival of Families is a faith-based cultural concert of the World Meeting of Families six-day programme. On Sunday August 26th, Pope Francis will be the chief celebrant at Mass in the Phoenix Park which will bring to a conclusion the World Meeting of Families 2018.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, as President of the World Meeting of Families 2018, has been charged with undertaking the significant task of organising this global celebration and each of the other 25 dioceses on the island of Ireland is supporting the host diocese to ensure its success for the whole country and for the world.
”We eagerly await the visit of Pope Francis which no doubt will be an occasion of spiritual renewal for our laity, religious and clergy as well as a strengthening of Christian family life.
‘The preparations for the World Meeting of Families are benefiting from the 2014 and 2015 Synods of Bishops in Rome which discussed the role of the modern family in the world and how the Church should respond.’
‘The subsequent publication by the Holy Father, in April 2016, of his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (the Joy of Love), represents the fruit of these synods as he reflected on the significance of the deep mutual love of spouses and on their love for their children for the good of humanity and for the stability of society.”
