Heavenly Father, we thank you for inspiring Pope Francis to bring the World Meeting of Families to Ireland in 2018. We ask you Father to guide us to participate in this great celebration of families, and to welcome brothers and sisters from other countries who will come to Ireland to join with us.
Thank you Father for the Vision of Knock, and we ask that by meditating and praying on this Vision as an Icon of the Family of God, we may grow strong in handing on the faith to our children and our children’s children. We pray that on the great Day of our Saviour’s return, He will find faith on earth and bring us to join our Heavenly Queen and all the saints in the glory promised us. For through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all glory and honour is yours Almighty Father, forever and ever. AMEN.
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners
Now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory be to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
St Patrick’s Breastplate
I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.
I bind this day to me forever
By power of faith, Christ’s incarnation;
His baptism in the Jordan river,
His death on the Cross for my salvation;
His bursting from the spicèd tomb,
His riding up the heavenly way,
His coming at the day of doom
I bind unto myself today.
Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.
I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong name of the Trinity;
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in Three,
Of whom all nature hath creation;
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word;
Praise to the Lord of my salvation;
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.
World Meeting of Families 2018 – Dublin, Ireland
In 1994 Pope St John Paul II initiated the World Meeting of Families as a three-yearly international event of prayer, catechesis and celebration, seeking to strengthen the bonds between families and to witness to the crucial importance of marriage and family to all of society.
The theme chosen by Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families in Dublin on 21-26 August 2018: ‘The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World’, conveys at least three senses:
- The plan of God for the family, founded on the marriage of a man and woman, is an essential part of the joyful message proclaimed by the Church.
- The family evangelises its own members, where we ourselves first come to know Jesus and his love.
- The Christian family proclaims the Gospel by word and example, reaching out to evangelise the world.
(Source: Liturgical Calendar for Ireland 2018, 28)