World Meeting of Families: The importance of vocational pastoral work


There is great expectation for the opening of the World Meeting of Families, beginning on Wednesday 23 June and ending on Saturday, 25 June. ‘Family love: vocation and the way to holiness’ is the theme of this edition, which kicks off with the Festival of Families. Around two thousand delegates from 120 countries have been invited, chosen by the local Bishops’ Conferences, Synods of the Oriental Churches, and international ecclesial realities.This meeting is being held at a difficult time for humanity, harshly tried by the pandemic and war. Gabriella Gambino, Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life spoke to Vatican News’ Debora Donnini about these difficulties, as well as her hopes for the event.Hopes“After a whole year dedicated to family pastoral care with all the great work that has been done, I believe it is really time to ‘make Church’ together with families and pastors,” says Gabriella Gambino.She describes the hope as being one of hearing words of encouragement from the Holy Father,

“so that when this Year of the Family is over, we will be able to continue on a journey together.”Work of families in evangelisationMs. Gambino goes on to describe the importance of involving children in the pastoral work of evangelisation, explaining that “the whole family is called to Christian proclamation”.“I believe that, today, one of the greatest challenges for us parents is precisely that of transmitting to our children the awareness, and also the courage to proclaim Christ present in our families.”She adds that it is also important to teach our children to do so, no matter the complexity of the times in which we are living.Themes and their linksFormation, accompaniment, and transmission of the faith to the new generations are some of the themes of the event.The “fundamental” one is the proclamation of the vocation of each family, of each person within the family, says Ms. Gambino. She explains that “the family is a path to holiness and sanctification that each of us has at our disposal.“The family is a gift that the Lord gives us.”She says it is important to train people who know how to meet the reality of today’s families. Families need to be accompanied, especially young engaged couples and spouses, in the reality they live, so that from there they can discover their vocation and encounter Christ, she says.“

It is also important that we learn to transmit the faith to young people starting from the reality in which they are inserted, therefore also having the courage to address issues that are very difficult for us today, on which we are sometimes poorly prepared,” she adds.Document: catechumenal itineraries for married lifeThe final point discussed by Ms. Gambino is a recently published document entitled “Catechumenal Itineraries for Married Life”, published as part of the Pastoral Guidelines for Particular Churches, prepared by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, and with a preface by Pope Francis.Ms. Gambino explains that this text was explicitly desired by the Holy Father, precisely because we live in an era in which marriage needs to be announced with greater strength, with greater clarity, but above all, it needs to be announced ‘in time’.For this reason, she explains, “I believe that one of the most interesting aspects of this document is the fact that it proposes a very ‘remote’ preparation for married life.”This involves talking to children about the Sacrament of Marriage in Christian initiation courses to help them understand that marriage is a vocation and a calling from God.Finally, the Under-Secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life talks about the importance of accompaniment even after the celebration of the Marriage Rite, that is, of a strong pastoral care of the bond, “because couples, especially in the first years of marriage, need to be accompanied.”Nobody must be left alone in these moments, but rather they must “feel part of a Church community, which helps them get through moments of crisis, because a crisis is a normal phase in the life of two people who live together for a lifetime.“We must ‘accompany’ couples, so that they know how to live crises as opportunities for growth and not as moments that mark insuperable wounds.”

23 August 2025
To prepare for the forthcoming Apologia series, a number of parishioners were interviewed by Fr Simon about their faith. These interviews are presented in a series of videos which can be accessed here. Thank you to all who contributed for their willingness to share what their faith means to them.
23 August 2025
We invite all parishioners new to the parish in the past couple of years to join us for a welcome event hosted by members of the Parish Pastoral Council from 7pm on Monday 15th September in the parish centre. It will be an opportunity to meet representatives from the various areas of parish life and to ask any
21 August 2025
An International Mass and Luncheon, celebrating our diverse cultural parish community, will take place at 11am on on Sunday, 5th October. Parishioners are invited to volunteer to represent their country of origin. We invite anyone who would like to offer a tasting of an authentic meal from their country to bring a dish
18 August 2025
After a successful RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) course which started last September, eight people were received into the Church at Easter this year. We are planning a new RCIA course, the initial meeting for which will be on Tuesday 2nd September at 7pm in the Presbytery. Please speak to Fr Simon af
14 August 2025
Thank you to Marie and her team and all the young people who took part in the Children's Holiday Bible Camp this year. The focus on the Mass produced a great deal of fruit. The children learned about the virtues of patience, faith, generosity. They experienced Adoration and contributed to the final Mass of the week
17 June 2025
A retreat for up to twenty six St Robert's parishioners has been organised to take place at Ampleforth Abbey from Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September 2025. All accommodation and meals will be included and the retreat will be led by Fr Luke Beckett OSB. Details of cost, timings etc. along with how to book are all included in this weekend's bulletin.
16 June 2025
St Robert's Building Fund was launched at Masses on Low Sunday weekend. An update given at all Masses on the weekend of 28/29 June delivered the tremendous news that the building fund appeal is growing, with funds received to date totalling £44,567, of which 90% of this total has been gift-aided, thereby adding approx
6 April 2025
The next Seminar will take place on Sunday 12th October at 10am in preparation for the Baptism Mass at 11am on Sunday 19th October when children will be baptised into the Church and our parish family. Please pray for our children to be baptised, their parents and godparents as they all prepare, together, for this mom
23 December 2024
Please find on the link below a letter from Fr Simon and Miss Collins, headteacher of St Robert's School, outlining information for parents who are considering signing their children up for First Sacraments in St Robert's parish. Details of dates for the First Communion course and dates for holy communions will be announced in due course. This year, families will be given a choice of dates and Masses during the month of June at which their child can make their first holy communion and then there will be a joint celebration organised in July to bring the group together. You will find elsewhere on the website and on the parish bulletin details of the Reconciliation programme. The deadline for application for Confirmation has now passed but candidates will be able to apply for the 2026 Confirmation course in due time.
11 December 2024
Click on the link below to see a longer version of the introductory video showing a Birds Eye view of the church. With thanks to Rob Fakes of Skycam in York for his work on this project.
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