Amoris Laetitia Family Year 2021-2022
On Friday 19 March 2021, the Feast of Saint Joseph, the Church celebrated five years since the publication of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) on the beauty and joy of love in the family. On the same day, Pope Francis launched the Amoris Laetitia Family Year, which will conclude on 26 June 2022, on the occasion of the Tenth World Meeting of Families in Rome.
Speaking about the Amoris Laetitia Family Year, Pope Francis referred to it as a special year to grow in family love and an opportunity for a renewed and creative pastoral drive to place the family at the centre of both Church and society. Pope Francis also shared his hope that “every family may feel in its own home the living presence of the Holy Family of Nazareth, that it may fill our small domestic communities with sincere and generous love, a source of joy even in trials and difficulties”.
Click here to view Pope Francis’ Prayer to the Holy Family.
World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly – July 25th 2021
Click here for the special prayer composed for Grandparents and the Elderly by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. The image shown on the cover of this prayer is the fresco by Giotto called Joachim’s Dream which can be found in Padua, Italy.
Families Walking Together in Hope – August 25th
On August 25th Archbishop Dermot Farrell launched the “Walking Together in Hope” initiative as part of the Year of the Family 2021/2022 programme.
The goal of this initiative is to celebrate moments of hope and joy in family life, with resources suitable for learning, living and leading faith that are complementary to the way family is lived today.
A Blessing of School Backpacks
One of the September initiatives is a simple blessing of school bags/backpacks for the start of the new school year. Click here for details.