Just Released: Official Prayer of 10th World Meeting of Families

The official prayer of the 10th World Meeting of Families scheduled for June 22 to 26, 2022 in Rome has been released.

The theme “Family love: a vocation and a path to holiness”, was chosen by Pope Francis.

“Praying is a way to enter into the heart of the Amoris Laetitia Year and the preparation for the event in Rome,” explained Cardinal Joseph Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, in a statement to release the prayer.

“Many families and communities,” he said, “have been waiting a long time to be able to set out on their way, at least spiritually, to Rome.”  “Prayer will accompany them and help them to grasp the message of the gathering.”

Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the Vicar of Rome Diocese, of which the Pope is the Bishop, explained that “prayer will be at the heart of the path of preparation”. “It will guide our work and inspire the reflections to help us, in the light of faith, to discern the new challenges that the pandemic emergency poses to the ecclesial community with regard to families.”

He thus invited “everyone to prepare for this event of grace that the Church of Rome has the joy of hosting, and to address this prayer to the Lord in the intimacy of their family, together with the parish and diocesan community.”

The 1st WMOF was held in October 1994 in Rome and since then, the event has been held after every three years.

A statement by Rome Diocese and the Dicastery explained that the prayer, entitled, “Family Love: Vocation and Path to Holiness”, “springs from deep gratitude to our Heavenly Father for the great gift of family, a very special place for loving relationships”. It is “intended to be a pastoral tool: it can be prayed from now on in parishes, in communities, at home, to help with preparation for the next year's international event.”

Cardinal Farrell pointed out, “It is from the love experienced in family life that the vocation of every child is born”. 

He said in today’s world it might “seem somewhat out of touch or inappropriate to talk about family holiness.”

 He added that this is why it is important for married couples to pray. The Cardinal said a relationship with God enables couples to overcome the challenges of this life adding that all members of the family including children are called to holiness.

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