WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES
On June 26, 2022 Pope Francis is convening the Tenth World Meeting of Families (WMOF22). He is “inviting every Catholic—and all those of goodwill, of any faith or no faith—to simply recognize the incontrovertible fact that humanity’s future rests on the foundation of the family, that the family is a vocation and a path to holiness, and that the family is under attack from every side.”
“Organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, the theme for this year’s edition is ‘Family Love: A Vocation and Path to Holiness.’ In place of a public worldwide gathering this year, it has been decided that the event be celebrated in all dioceses and parishes via the internet.” Soren and Ever Johnson, Aleteia, 06/20/22
Some useful links:
WHAT’S WMOF22 HAS TO OFFER YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Aleteria’s “What the World Meeting of Families means for your family” gives you an idea of what you will experience and how you and your family may benefit from the meeting. For instance, you may learn that:
1. The Church is affirming your vocation to family life as a profound and salvific path to holiness.
It’s easy to slip into thinking that the work of the Church rests on the shoulders of priests and religious—and that the rollercoaster of family life is somehow “less than.” In fact, the Catechism affirms that the family is the “original cell” of society, that your family’s “communion of persons” closely resembles the persons of the Holy Trinity, and, as Pope St. John Paul II said, “The future of humanity passes by way of the family.”
2. The Church is saying that without your family being healthy, it cannot fulfill its mission in the world.
What happens in your home—the way you relate, the way you pray, the way you serve one another—has short- and long-term consequences for the life of the Church. Your family is a “domestic church.”
3. The Holy Father is asking your 1.2 billion fellow Catholics around the world to pray for the spiritual health of your family.
There are countless issues Pope Francis could focus on, but Pope Francis is prioritizing the need to pray for families—to strengthen and encourage them at a time when the chips, for so many, are down.
4. The Church is investing resources to give your family better options for addressing your pain points.
From the pope all the way to your bishop and diocese’s office of Marriage and Family, to your own parish, the Church has a pressing concern for understanding your family’s struggles and delivering resources to you as you seek to build a flourishing Catholic home.
5. The Church is inviting you to invest in your own family’s life of faith.
Even just a few minutes on the WMOF site—which includes brief articles (our favorite is Pope Francis’ “Please, Thank You, Sorry” talk on the three words critical for family life)—may provide the motivation to take the next step in your home.
In keeping with tradition, the program includes an international Theological-Pastoral Congress at the start and ending, in the presence of the Pope, with a vigil and Festival of Families along with a great final Eucharistic celebration. Use the links at the top of this post to join is the WMOF22 experience.
“Above all, I thank the married couples and families who will bear witness to family love as a vocation and path to holiness. Have a good meeting!” Pope Francis