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INTERNATIONAL FAMILY GROUP DAY

 

International Group Movement Day  is held annually on the first Sunday in May.  Read about how the day has been celebrated in years past.  If you have pictures or stories of how your own parish  has celebrated this day, please let us know.

Read the letter from Fr Tom McDonough cp  dated 7th May, 2000, when he presented each Family Group parish with a commemorative medal as a small gift from the birthplace of the Passionist Family Groups - St Anthony in the Fields.

 

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What’s it all about?

Family Group parishes around the world will be having special celebrations on this day. All six countries: Australia, New Zealand, the United States, England, Scotland and Ireland, are involved. Father Peter McGrath, Founder of the Movement, encourages Family Group Parishes to bring their people together to celebrate the Eucharist with Family Group members participating in the Liturgy. During the celebration, there may be a renewal or recruitment drive, a re-commissioning of leaders, or special recognition of the contribution Family Groups have made to the Parish.

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Comments:
Terrey Hills, NSW (AU)	The year 2000 was the inaugural year of the International Family Group Day.  At St. Anthony in the Fields, the birthplace of the Passionist Family Group Movement, the then Pastor, Fr. Tom McDonough, commemorated the occasion with a special medallion that was sent out to each of the 400 Family Group parishes around the world.  With the medallion he asked ,”Please keep us in your prayers as we will keep you in ours. Despite the distances and the oceans that separate us, let us never stop loving one another as Jesus has loved us.”

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Glenfield, New Zealand

“We took the opportunity for the very first International Family Group day to pray together in the Eucharist. Our parish, St. Thomas More of Auckland, has many nationalities. One Family Group alone consists of 7 nationalities. People were encouraged to dress up in national costume and sing a song from their country of birth. We followed with a shared meal consisting of International dishes”   Graham & Shelly Ward

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Paeroa, New Zealand

“Kia Ora!  We have many reports of how the International Family Group Day has been celebrated in New Zealand.  Some examples” ...       Family Group members preparing the Prayers of the Faithful for Mass Parish morning teas after Mass Parish gatherings after Mass – picnics, barbecues etc. Those in Leadership roles being re-commissioned at Mass  Lynn & Rob Hill, Directors, New Zealand

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Melbourne, Victoria (AU)

“At one of our parishes – St. Kevin’s, Ormond, we had a sausage sizzle after the Family Group Mass.  It was a great hit. The church was full and we had lots of takers for the bangers on bread with good old red Aussie tomato sauce”   Bernard & Maree Metcalfe,  Directors, Victoria

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Griffith, NSW (AU)

“Our celebration was at the 10:30am Mass with our Leaders receiving a blessing from Father Beltrame, Pastor, who then blessed all Family Group members and parishioners. The message given to everyone was that Family Groups are about sharing, caring & fun, belonging, friendship & love"

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Milton, Ulladulla, NSW (AU)

"Our Family Group Day was a special day. We started with a focus on Family Groups at the 10am Mass and Fr Francis was superb. You would have been so proud of him Peter. His acknowledgement of, and support for, Family Groups was so strong, right from his opening prayers through his Homily and just the general feeling throughout  the whole Mass. Set us all back a bit really. Group Leaders were brought up to the altar and each was presented with a candle to burn at each function over the next 12 months as a symbol of the light of Christ. The Leaders then remained on the altar until they had received communion and then returned to their seats. It was a truly special occasion for all those involved. After Mass we all went for a picnic at the local Lions Park on Burrill Lake. Everyone was on a real high after the Mass and thoroughly enjoyed sharing the picnic time together. It was a wonderful day." Rae and Neil Parker Co-ordinators, South Coast, NSW, Australia