April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
PERSPECTIVE
Attending the World Meeting of Families: a joyful experience
Attending the World Meeting of Families: a joyful experience
While the WMOF was the reason Pope Francis traveled to our country last month, many Americans heard little about it.
The first World Meeting of Families was held by St. John Paul II in Rome in 1994, the international Year of the Family. Every three years since, the meeting has occurred again, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Family.
The WMOF is the world's largest Catholic gathering of families. Each meeting has its own theme; this year's was, "Love is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive." There was a large number of clergy and religious in attendance, but the vast majority of the 17,000 participants were laypeople from across the globe.
The host diocese for each WMOF prepares a preparatory catechesis - an amazing document that gathers what the Church teaches about the family. The Philadelphia WMOF's themes were:
"Created for Joy;" "The Mission of Love;" "The Meaning of Sexuality;" "Two Become One;" "Creating the Future;" "All Love Bears Fruit;" "Light in a Dark World;" "A Home for the Wounded Heart;" "Mother, Teacher, Family: The Nature and Role of the Church;" and "Choosing Life."
For the most part, the presentations at the WMOF were inspiring, edifying and hope-filled, interspersed with humor and poignant personal stories. Key-note speakers Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles, Cardinal Robert Sarah of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, Professor Helen Alvare of George Mason University, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, OFM, of Boston, and Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California, author of "The Purpose-Driven Life," were phenomenal.
I attended several sessions on nurturing faith in the "domestic Church." At one, Archbishop John Michael Miller of Vancouver, Canada, suggested that a couple's witness of faithful love establishes their "domestic Church," where children are introduced to the richness of Catholic teaching, encounter the Word of God and the sacraments, and learn about the generosity of selfless service.
Archbishop Miller noted Pope Francis' concern for the breakdown in how Catholic faith is being passed on to the young - that many parents are unaware of their responsibility to pass on the faith, have little interest in participating in catechetical programs because faith has little practical impact on their family life, feel insecure or unprepared to pass on the faith, or are bewildered regarding what the Church teaches.
The archbishop said society works against them, too, citing secularization, long hours spent at work and few at home, the breakup of the nuclear family, the intrusion of technology and social media, and little time for constructive dialogue.
Archbishop Miller said we need to restore parents as the first and primary educators, catechists and evangelizers of their children. While parents can receive assistance from their parish and Catholic school, they can't be content to simply drop off the child week after week.
He offered 10 tips for parents committed to evangelizing and catechizing their children (see sidebar).
Parents, he said, receive the grace to do this through their baptism and the sacrament of matrimony, and God is present in this effort.
I didn't get to see Pope Francis except on TV, but at the WMOF, I met people from all over the world who were concerned and excited about the prospects of the Catholic family. I came back to the Albany Diocese with a lot of great new ideas and insights.
(Mr. Mawn is director of catechist formation and respect life at the diocesan Catholic Schools Office. Read more about the meeting at www.worldmeeting2015.org.)[[In-content Ad]]
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