Pope Francis confirms Irish visit

The Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference has welcomed the announcement today by Pope Francis that he will attend part of the ninth World Meeting of Families which will take place from 21st – 26th August in Dublin on the theme, ‘The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World’.  

Pope Francis, who is 81 years of age, will arrive in Dublin on Saturday, 25 August, and will take part in the ‘Festival of Families’ in Croke Park.  The Festival of Families is the faith-based cultural concert of the World Meeting of Families six-day programme.  The next day, Sunday 26 August, Pope Francis will be the chief celebrant at Holy Mass in the Phoenix Park and this liturgy will bring to a conclusion the World Meeting of Families 2018.  Full details of the papal schedule will be released at a later date.

The bishops said, “On behalf of the faithful of Ireland we warmly welcome today’s announcement, by the Holy Father himself, that he plans to visit Dublin in August for the World Meeting of Families.  We are deeply honoured that Pope Francis will come to our country to participate in this universal Church celebration of faith and joy, as well as of the contemporary challenges which face families.  With great anticipation we also look forward to hearing the apostolic guidance of His Holiness during his stay with us.”

The bishops continued: “Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, as President of the World Meeting of Families 2018, has been charged with undertaking the significant task of organising this global celebration and each of the other 25 dioceses on the island of Ireland is supporting the host diocese to ensure its success for the whole country and for the world.  We eagerly await the visit of Pope Francis which no doubt will be an occasion of spiritual renewal for our laity, religious and clergy as well as a strengthening of Christian family life.

“The preparations for the World Meeting of Families in Dublin are benefiting from the 2014 and 2015 Synods of Bishops in Rome which discussed the role of the modern family in the world and how the Church should respond.  Both synods were hosted by Pope Francis and were preceded by a worldwide consultation.  The subsequent publication by the Holy Father, in April 2016, of his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (the Joy of Love), represents the fruit of these synods as he reflected on the significance of the deep mutual love of spouses and on their love for their children for the good of humanity and for the stability of society.”

Also today in Rome two Irish families presented the official World Meeting of Families 2018 ‘Icon of the Holy Family’ to Pope Francis during his weekly general audience in Saint Peter’s Square.  The Tobin family are from Co Kildare and the Bushell family are resident in Rome.  The delegation was led by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, President, and Father Timothy Bartlett, Secretary General, of the World Meeting of Families 2018.  The group also included the iconographer Mr Mihai Cucu. 

 

Meanwhile, tonight in Lismullen, as pert of teh Heritage Series at the conference centre there, Bishop Michael Smith will talk about 'The Experience of the Second Vatican Council' at 8pm.

Bishop Michael Smith was a student in Rome in the period 1962-65 when the Second Vatican Council took place. He attended all 168 sessions of the Council, where he worked as a note taker. He can now be said to be one of a dwindling band of witnesses who were present at the entire Council. The lecture will focus in the first place on what can be called the prehistory of the Council, the almost 100 years of what was in fact preparation for the Council. Two previous Popes (before Pope John XXIII) had expended considerable time and energy preparing for a Council, but the idea was abandoned after much work. The lecture will also highlight some of the pivotal moments during the four years of the Council, moments that decided the course that it would take. 

Bishop Smith was born in Oldcastle in 1940. He was educated at Gilson National School, Oldcastle and at St. Finian's College, Mullingar. He studied for the priesthood in the Irish College, Rome. He was ordained priest in March 1963. He was conferred with a Doctorate in Canon Law by the Lateran University, Rome in 1966. He was appointed Bishop in November 1983.