Leader of Ireland's Bishops Welcomes News That Dublin Will Host Family Meeting in '18

Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland, welcomed the announcement by Pope Francis that the next World Meeting of Families will take place in Dublin.

«I am delighted to hear that Pope Francis has announced that the 9^th World Meeting of Families will take place in Dublin,» he said in a statement.

«I am confident that the World Meeting of Families in 2018 will also be an uplifting event for all of us,» he added.

The archbishop went on to say: «Despite many challenges, the family remains at the heart of faith and of so much that we hold important in this country. Our preparations for the World Meeting of Families will inspire us as we implement, over the next few years, the recommendations which will emerge from the Synod on the Family in Rome next month.

«At the ‘Festival of Families’ on Saturday night in Philadelphia, Pope Francis said: ‘What God most wants from us is to knock on the doors of families and to find people who love each other, who bring up their children with love and who contribute to a society of truth, goodness and beauty.’ I look forward to sharing the joy of this announcement with Archbishop Diarmuid, my fellow bishops and with people from all around the country as we begin thinking about how, together, we can best plan to make this significant international event a success.»

The WMOF was conceived by Saint Pope John Paul II in 1992 to look at strengthening the sacred bonds of the family unit across the globe. The first WMOF took place in Rome in 1994, the International year of the family.

Every three years since 1994, families from all over the world are invited by the Holy Father to attend this global gathering. At the conference, families share their thoughts, dialogue and prayers, working together to grow as individuals and family units. Families can participate in discussion groups on the Christian family’s role in the church and society, led by many distinguished speakers.