There could not have been a better event leading up to the Synod of Bishops on the Family than the World Meeting of Families, Philadelphia, attended by Pope Francis from 22 to 27 September 2015.
The Pope’s passionate words at the Festival of Families on the evening of 26 September resonated strongly with the hundreds of thousands of attendees who gathered for the special event.
This was after a full day of speeches and a grand Mass at Philadelphia’s Cathedral Basilica of Sts Peter and Paul, where the Pope arrived from New York for the fifth day of a six-day US trip.
“A society grows strong, grows in goodness, grows in beauty and truly grows if it is built on the foundation of the family,” the Pope said on the city’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
“All of the love that God has in Himself, all of the beauty that God has in Himself, all of the truth that God has in Himself, He gives to the family. And a family is truly a family when it is able to open its arms and receive all of this love,” he added.
Among those impressed by the words of the Pope were recently married couple Joseph and Brigid Eastgate, from Brisbane, Queensland.
Joseph and Brigid had the privilege of attending both the Festival of Families on 26 September and the Papal Mass the following day – events at which Emeritus Archbishop of Perth Barry Hickey and Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher were also present – and described their experience as inspiring and encouraging.
“The honesty of Pope Francis and his articulation of the reality of family life in today’s society was refreshing and gave us hope,” they said, reflecting on the meaning of the Pope’s words for their own marriage.
“Something the Pope said which particularly spoke to us was the fact that God chose not to send Jesus as a King who sat on a golden throne and was unapproachable, but rather sent Him into the world through the fragility of a family.
“This gives us hope and reminds us that Christ continuously comes knocking on the door of our hearts through the fragility of our marriage.”
Commenting on the impact that an event such as the World Meeting of Families could have for society at large, Joseph expressed a desire to see the role of the family gain greater importance in today’s world.
“The family is of pivotal importance, not just for the Catholic Church, but for secular society. As the place where faith in God can be handed down to the next generations and nurtured within an environment of awareness of God’s existence and prayer, it can influence those who have not met God and lead them to become interested in Christianity.
“Unfortunately, faith is growing cold in many people today and the breakdown of the family is a contributing factor. The Pope specifically recognised the importance and fundamental role of grandparents and children. The grandparents signify and represent the history that God has done with them and their family and the children represent the future and the continuation and strengthening of the faith in the future,” Joseph said.
Emphasising the importance of the role of faith within the family, Joseph went on to speak of the invaluable lessons he learnt throughout his childhood by simply being told about the unconditional love of Christ for him.
Now in his ninth month of marriage, these lessons have come to sustain the relationship with his wife, and, God willing, with children of his own.
“From our personal experience, faith continues to strengthen and guide our marriage. It seems impossible that our marriage would last without the constant intervention of Christ in our lives.
“While we constantly encounter problems, struggles and an inability to love, if seen through the eyes of the Church, rather than being a hindrance, these problems become an opportunity to love the other in the same way that Christ has loved us.
“This experience is only possible through the faith given to us in the Church and passed down to us by our parents,” he concluded.
The World Meeting of Families is a four-day international conference generally held every three years and often in conjunction with a Papal visit or appearance. It was initiated by Pope St John Paul II in 1992 with the goal of strengthening family bonds.
The theme for this year’s World Meeting of Families was Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.
This is the first time the meeting will be held in the United States. Other meetings have been held in Manila, Mexico City, Rome, and Rio de Janeiro.