In our Parish many movements, organisations and apostolates have come and gone. Indeed, we live in an age when the good idea of today will be in the scrap heap of tomorrow. It is reasonable for parishioners to be sceptical about any new endeavour, this today and something else tomorrow sort of attitude.
I believe the concept of the Family Group Movement is different. The used by date cannot be tagged onto the Family Group Movement in the foreseeable future. This Movement is the Raison d'etre of the church's mission. A group of families, two parents, single parents, functional and dysfunctional, young and old, children and teenagers, bound together by love, concern and support for each other is the Kingdom enfleshed among us.
The Family Group in action is the Eucharist in action. The active Family Group is living the love celebrated in the Sunday Mass - Jesus giving Himself to us - in turn we give ourselves to each other in a Family Group. "Do this in memory of me," said Jesus. Do what? Give your time, energy and creative love to each other as I have done. Maybe the Mass lost its attraction because we didn't take the love we experienced around the Eucharist Table into life. The creative Family Group member is being Eucharist in the pulse and throb of life.
Maybe we are losing our first fervour about the Family Groups? Maybe our first deep commitment is being replaced by innocuous token? Maybe disappointments and disillusions have fogged our first rapture? Maybe you think that the Family Group is another of Ruane's and McGrath's ideas that has run its course?
The Family Group demands commitment from every member. 

Too often we think of the Leaders as the chiefs and the rest of us passive Indians. Group events must be given priority in our lives. Each of us must bring our unique personality and love into each event.
There is no reason why each person shouldn't have the names addresses and phone numbers of each family in the group. This way we can be in continual contact with each other, be aware of the difficulties and worries of each family and be supportive and helpful to each other. Bonds of love are fostered by the unobtrusive visit, and the timely phone call.
It would be remiss of me if I didn't acknowledge the great things that are happening in our Family Groups in Cowra and in other places. Yesterday I was speaking to Pam Leonard. Two years ago Pam, her husband and four children, were about to leave Coonamble to live in Toowoomba. Just before leaving Coonamble, Pam's husband Nick, was tragically killed in an accident. However, the family went ahead with their plans for Toowoomba. when the family arrived, a Family Group took them under their wing, helped them find a fouse, unpacked their furniture, gave them meals until they were set up, brought them into their circle of love in their monthly Family Groups events, and as I write, the Group is taking care of Pam's children while she is having a short break.
It is about three years since the Family Group Movement was introduced into our Parish. Initially we had twelve groups and approximately five hundred members. Generally all groups are still alive and well. Some Group Leaders, I believe, have become disappointed. They put a lot of work into their group, reaching out to members, facilitating events and trying to be all things to all people. 

It appears they piped but the members didn't dance.
Leaders and members will have to be patient with members who are not enthusiastic about participation. They must not close the door, but gently and unobtrusively, reach out to them until they discover that the Family Group is a safe place where genuine love and friendship can be experienced.
Everybody in St Raphael's community shares the common vocation of promoting the Kingdom of God in our Parish. There does not appear to be any better ways of presenting the Kingdom of God's reign of love than the family Group Movement. Commitment to groups demands sacrifice, a token commitment will never make the Kingdom a realisation in our midst.
The simplistic and almost irritating saying of Mother Teresa is ringing in our ears at this time. "Do something beautiful for God." Why don't we make that 'something' the promotion of Family Groups? What better 'something' can we imagine?
It is worth remembering another statement of the great Mother Teresa, "The greatest evil in our society is the lack of love and charity, the terrible indifference towards our neighbour."
Let us present to our neighbour, a safe situation of love, concern, acceptance and support, a place where God's love, peace and happiness can be experienced - a Family Group.


Pat Ruane, PP
Cowra