1994 was declared the International Year of the
Family. Pope John Paul II wanted a Year
of the Family to be celebrated in the Catholic Church, so the World Meeting of
Families (WMOF) was organized by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. The gathering promotes the pastoral care
of families, protecting their rights and dignity in the Church and in civil
society so that they may be better able to fulfill their duties. The WMOF is the biggest gathering of Catholic
families in the world and is normally held every three years in different
places with different themes.
1994 Rome, Italy – “The Family, the Heart of the
Civilization of Love”
1997 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – “The Family: Gift and
Commitment, the hope of humanity”
2000 Rome, Italy – “Children: Springtime of the Family
and of the Church”
2003 Manila, Philippines – “The Christian Family: Good
News for the Third Millennium”
2006 Valencia, Spain – “Handing on the Faith in the Family”
2009 Mexico City, Mexico – “The Family: Teacher of Human
and Christian Values”
2012 Milan, Italy – “Family, Work & Celebration”
2015 Philadelphia, United States – “Love is our Mission:
The family fully alive”
2018 Dublin, Ireland – “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for
the World”
2022 Rome, Italy – “Family love: a vocation and a path to
holiness”
The WMOF begins with an international
Theological-Pastoral Congress and ends in the presence of the Pope, with a
vigil and Festival of Families, along with a great final Eucharistic
celebration.
In 2015, when the WMOF was held in Philadelphia, Pope
Francis also celebrated Mass at Madison Square Garden. Hundreds of people from the Diocese of
Ogdensburg made a pilgrimage to attend either the Papal Mass in NY City, or to
Philadelphia to participate in the conferences and Papal Mass there.
The 10th World Meeting of Families was postponed one year
due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The situation
caused by this healthcare emergency has necessitated some changes in the way
that the gathering is being conducted.
“At past meetings”, explained the Pope in his video
message, “most families stayed at home and the meeting was perceived as being
something remote, at most followed on television, and unknown to the majority
of families. This time it will have a special format: it will be an opportunity
provided by Providence to create a worldwide event that can involve all the
families that would like to feel part of the ecclesial community”.
The World Meeting will therefore be set up in two
parallel ways. Rome will remain the main
location with the Festival of Families and the Theological-Pastoral Congress
taking place from Wednesday to Saturday in the Paul VI Audience Hall. The Pope will celebrate Mass on Saturday in St
Peter’s Square.
The main event, held in Rome, will be attended by
delegates from Episcopal Conferences all around the world as well as
representatives from international movements involved in pastoral care for
families. At the same time, each diocese
is encouraged to participate virtually.
The goal is that from June 22 to 26, 2022 the diocese
will place families at the center of pastoral attention, offering activities
and resources that reflect the theme of the WMOF, so that there is a “Family
Week” in unity with families and diocese around the world.
Theme: Family love: vocation and a path to holiness ▪ Celebrations: opening and closing of the Meeting, Eucharistic Adoration, Holy Mass. ▪ Contributions: conferences, testimonies, sharing, celebration.
