WMOF2018 Day One (Tuesday 21st August 2018)
The Opening Ceremony for World Meeting of Families 2018
THEME – THE JOY OF LOVE IN FAMILIES IS ALSO THE JOY OF THE CHURCH.
An Opening Ceremony for World Meeting of Families 2018 will take place simultaneously across all 26 Dioceses of Ireland on the evening of Tuesday 21 August, with the lead ceremony taking place in Dublin.
The Opening Liturgy will be a full celebration of Evening Prayer. Entitled ‘Le chéile le Críost’ (together with Christ), it will gather the Church as the family of families, and set us on the path of celebration for the entire World Meeting of Families that will culminate with the closing Papal Mass on Sunday 26th August. It will take place in every diocese in the country, typically in the Cathedral Church, and we hope adapted forms of the prayer will be celebrated in every parish church, chapel of ease and in family homes.
We will begin remembering that we walk in the footsteps of the saints and those who have handed on the faith to us. We welcome Christ our unfailing light, we sing and pray hymns, psalms and canticles, burn incense and pray for the entire human family before our God and Father.
This prayer is completely ecumenical in nature and already there has been a suggestion that all Christian Churches might like to join us in ringing out church bells as the Evening Prayer begins all over the island.
Many of our international delegates and speakers will have the opportunity to join local communities across Ireland for this event.