The Bishop in charge of Laity, Women and Youth in Ghana, Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, has encouraged Ghanaian Catholic families to make the efforts to participate in the upcoming world Meeting of Families to celebrate, pray and reflect on the family.

Bishop Fianu said though there may be financial constraints for some who would have desired to participate, there is the need to inspire many Ghanaian Catholic families who can afford their time and finance to be at the meeting.

He noted that with the contemporary means of communication available, those who might not be able to be physically present in Ireland can also benefit from the conferences via internet.

The Meeting to be held from August 21 to 26, 2018, at Dublin, Ireland, is expected to be attended by thousands of families and individuals from all over Ireland and the world.

The five-day Meeting to be on the theme “The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World”, will be an interactive multimedia platform of catechetical resources, largely drawn from the Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (‘The Joy of Love’), published by Pope Francis in March 2016, following the Synods on the family held in 2014 and 2015.

The Bishop stated in an interview on February 2 that “It is a good and opportune occasion for Catholic families – adults, youth and children – to gather in a universal forum to celebrate, pray and reflect on the family.”

This, he said will help us all to grow in faith and love as well as strengthen one another on our life journey as people of God and encouraged families and groups attending the Meeting to get in touch with the National Catholic Secretariat through its Service Centre, specifically the RAPTIM Travel Office to help them with their travel arrangements. It is important to contact the office on time so that proper arrangements can be made for the travel.

Bishop Fianu noted that “It is special for Ghanaian families because it is a unique opportunity to meet and share their faith with Catholic families from other parts of the Catholic world.

The opportunity to share with others will strengthen our families in living out their Catholic faith in Ghana, the Bishop added, urging all Catholic families to use the occasion to learn more about the theme of the meeting.

“As participants share their faith, they will come to discover how the joys and challenges of Catholic families all over the world do no differ one from the other. As they realise that together they can make a change in human society, they will go forth to announce the Gospel of Joy to all mankind.it is thus a preparation for further evangelization through the family, said the Bishop.

He said “even for those who may not be able to travel to Ireland, it is an occasion to study the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family - Amoris Laetitia in our various Parishes and Societies or Associations.”

The theme of the 2017 Plenary Assembly of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference was “Integral Pastoral Care for the Family in the light of Amoris Laetitia”.

This theme, Bishop Fianu noted, was inspired by Pope Francis’ Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family - Amoris Laetitia, which literally means, “the Joy of Love”, released on April 8, 2016.

“In our Communiqué at the end of the Plenary Assembly, we reiterated our conviction and affirmation that the joy of love experienced by our families in Ghana is also the joy of love experienced by the Catholic Church in Ghana, stated the Bishop.

This theme is supposed to be deepened by all sectors of the Catholic Church in Ghana in 2018. This is a good and appropriate preparation for the World Meeting of Families, he added.

“Looking at the event schedule proposed so far, I look forward to solid teaching on family life for Catholic families based on the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family - Amoris Laetitia,” Bishop Fianu stated.