On Saturday 6 July at Focolare’s Curryhills House in Prosperous, Co Kildare, the Bishops’ Council for Marriage and the Family hosted a day of reflection and conversations for representatives of all-island Church Community Family Movements. The theme of the gathering was on the legacies and treasures of last year’s WMOF2018.
The gathering was attended by representatives of the all-island Church Community Family Movements many of whom were involved in the WMOF2018 in Dublin. They were joined by Archbishop Eamon Martin, the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland and by Bishop Denis Nulty the Chair of the Council for Marriage and the Family.
Archbishop Eamon led the celebration of Mass focusing on the spirituality and lived experience of Saints Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of Saint Therese of Lisieux, the first married couple to be canonised.
The archbishop was presented with the emblem of the Council for Marriage and the Family which takes the form of an icon of the Holy Family of Nazareth.
Bishop Nulty also presented the same Icon to the Focolare Community at Curryhills.
In the lead up to this day of reflection, a new orchard was planted at Curryhills, symbolising the all-island Church Community Family Movements in Ireland. All the apple trees had been planted earlier except for one, which was planted on the day by a young family present. The day concluded with a blessing of the new orchard by Bishop Nulty.
The Bishops’ Council for Marriage and the Family assists the bishops in their mission, specifically as it relates to marriage and the family. It strives to do this in a number of ways, encouraging and supporting the spiritual and pastoral care of marriage and the family in parishes and dioceses. It endeavours to promote and support the vocation of marriage and family life throughout the community and society and a culture of welcome for families.
ENDS
