The Joy of Love

New reflection document on marriage and family life

Six years ago, during the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis published a document after a two-year synod process in which bishops from around the world examined ‘The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World’.The Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia “On Love in the Family” was the fruit of this synod process.In the year leading up to the Tenth World Meeting of Families, June 2022, the Bishops’ Conference Committee for Marriage and Family Life, part of the Department for Social Justice, reflected on Amoris Laetitia and how family life plays a central role in the life of the Church.

"Amoris Laetitia should be read in a contemplative way. It’s a text you receive in your heart – an opportunity to contemplate the mystery of love within marriage and family life and to grow a sense of discipleship. Marriage and family life is a very important vocation in the Church". Bishop David Oakley

These themes, running like a thread through the Apostolic Exhortation, are: Joy, Love, Mercy, Realities and Discernment, and Mission.  The aim of this new resource is not to provide an exhaustive analysis of Amoris Laetitia but to reflect on these themes in an engaging and constructive way. You can access the Bishops' document by clicking on the button below.


Source:CBCEW


The Joy of Love - 2022
3 November 2026
How can we, as a parish community, do more to care for God's creation and live more sustainably? On Monday 9th November, we will be holding an open meeting to explore how we might put our faith into action through the CAFOD LiveSimply Award, an initiative inspired by Catholic social teaching and Pope Francis's encycli
2 November 2026
What does it mean to be a truly welcoming and inclusive parish community? Recently, with the help of Monsignor Keith Barltrop, a priest of the Archdiocese of Westminster, parishioners at St Robert’s explored the sometimes challenging questions surrounding how we remain faithful to the Church’s teaching on human sexual
1 November 2026
In a world so often troubled by conflict, division and uncertainty, peace can sometimes seem a distant hope. Yet peace begins not only in the great decisions of world leaders, but also in the quiet places of the human heart. As we mark a week of Remembrance, recalling those who have given their lives in war and those w
28 October 2026
Thank you to all our volunteers who helped make the special celebration of All Souls such a moving and comforting occasion on Monday evening. Many families whose loved ones' funeral took place here at St Robert's during the past year were able to light a candle on the altar rails in their memory and there was an oppor
28 October 2026
The 11am Mass on Remembrance Sunday, 8th November, will begin, as always, with a short Act of Remembrance. At the same time, 11am, at the Cenotaph in Harrogate, people will gather as is the tradition, for the town's Remembrance Service at which prayers will be said by Fr Kevin Dow, the Catholic Chaplain at the Army Fou
21 October 2026
Here are a few dates of events which are happening in the future - chance for people to put them in their diaries.
16 October 2026
As you can see, the suspended ceiling has been taken down in the Narthex, the decorating work has taken place and new lighting has been installed. We are now looking to move on to the next step of the project, which is replacing the glass in the oriel window and installing glass doors. Due to the fact that we are stil
14 October 2026
Thank you to Emma for organising last week’s Women’s Evening, and to Fr Simon, Bill and Richard for kindly helping with the setting up, serving the food and clearing up afterwards. We had a lovely evening, beginning with Adoration and continuing with a wonderful time of fellowship and getting to know new friends within our parish community. Thank you to everyone who helped make the evening so special! 
14 October 2026
Please find here a copy of the Report that was sent to the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV at the end of August concerning the potential unification of our three dioceses.
6 October 2026
Our altar serving team joined with some members of the 18 to 30 group and a few parents on a visit to Ushaw College in Durham last weekend. It was a tremendous opportunity to deepen friendships and explore more about our Catholic faith. Ushaw was at the centre of priestly training for the Northern Provinces from 1808 u
Show More