LISTENING 2004:MY FAMILY MY CHURCH
In 2004 the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales asked families to talk about what life is really like for them. Their joys and sorrows, their hopes. Over 15,000 families responded and every diocese listened.
The result was the publication of ‘Not easy but full of meaning’ a report which highlighted the needs of families within the church.
The Bishops then agreed a three stage plan to meet the needs that had been identified.
Welcoming, family friendly parishes
Helping parents and grandparents to pass on faith in God
Celebrating Family ; Blessed, Broken, Living love became the largest of the projects featured in the Bishops fundraising initiative : Faith in the Future
In 2004 the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales asked families to talk about what life is really like for them. Their joys and sorrows, their hopes. Over 15,000 families responded and every diocese listened.
The result was the publication of ‘Not easy but full of meaning’ a report which highlighted the needs of families within the church.
The Bishops then agreed a three stage plan to meet the needs that had been identified.
Welcoming, family friendly parishes
- to offer understanding, friendship and support
- to be a source of help in times of need
- to encourage and celebrate all family life whether married, widowed, single, divorced, separated, with children or without.
- to share the holiness of our homes as places of life, love, service, teaching, fellowship, witness and prayer
- to celebrate the presence of God as love in all loving family relationships
Helping parents and grandparents to pass on faith in God
- to provide more support, tools and resources
- to respect the role of the home and to see where it fits in with the school and the parish
- to provide comfort and healing when necessary
Celebrating Family ; Blessed, Broken, Living love became the largest of the projects featured in the Bishops fundraising initiative : Faith in the Future
The first phase of the three phase initiative released in 2006, Everybody's Welcome aims to support parish communities in becoming more friendly, more family-sensitive and more welcoming of all. Many parishes in Wrexham Diocese took this project on board and have made their churches more welcoming and accessible to all. For more information and resources visit www.everbodyswelcome.org.uk
The second phase was launched in 2008. Home is a Holy Place aims to raise greater awareness of Gods presence at home not just among families but among those who serve them in any way in our Catholic communities. Every parish in Wrexham diocese was given the opportunity to attend the launch and receive one of the Home is a Holy Place packs. Some have worked with them in various ways to the benefit of their parishes and their families. For more information and resources visit www.homeisaholyplace.org.uk
Passing on the Faith is an initiative of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales which seeks to support parents and grandparents in passing on their faith in God. The project is rooted in the testimonies of families during the Listening 2004 conversations and seeks to:
For more information and resources visit www.passingonthefaith.org.uk
For more information regarding Celebrating Family: Blessed, Broken, Living Love within the Wrexham Diocese please use the contact us page.
- Resource and support parents and grandparents in their “irreplaceable and inalienable” task of passing on faith in God
- Establish what passing on the faith means
- Identify the complementary roles, rights and responsibilities of home, school and parish.
For more information and resources visit www.passingonthefaith.org.uk
For more information regarding Celebrating Family: Blessed, Broken, Living Love within the Wrexham Diocese please use the contact us page.
