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.”

Having directed the funds of our 2024 Lenten Project to the community of the Holy Family in Gaza, it
18 July 2025
Having directed the funds of our 2024 Lenten Project to the community of the Holy Family in Gaza, it was saddening to hear of the Israeli strike on the church which killed three people and injured the parish priest, Fr Romanelli. We remember the community in prayer just now, and all who suffer the effects of war, call
14 July 2025
Congratulations to Paul and Cath Barry on their fiftieth wedding anniversary celebrations at the weekend. And many congratulations to Paul who, on the day, received the Diocesan Medal, awarded by Bishop Marcus for many years of faithful service to our parish!
12 July 2025
Eight young people were received into the Church at the Easter Vigil, having completed the course of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). Several more have shown an interest in a course starting in the Autumn. If you would like to learn more about becoming a Catholic, please talk to Fr Simon after Mass.
12 July 2025
“Marvellous Mystery – the Mass comes alive” will be held Jul 21-25, 2025 from 9am – 12pm each day, Monday to Friday, in the parish Centre for children age 5-11. There will be games, music, crafts, and snacks. Unfortunately, all the places have been assigned now but look out for the same event in July 2026!
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
22 May 2025
Look out for a series of sessions planned for the parish in the autumn. Designed to help us to a better understanding of our faith they will also help us to defend it more cogently in a world where people seem to be increasingly looking for meaning.
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.
4 September 2023
The parish centre is hired out to bring income for the parish. Details are on a specially designed webpage which can be accessed by clicking on the photograph or by looking for 'Parish Centre' under News and Info. Please let any interested people or organisations know about this parish resource which is so well located in the town of Harrogate.
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