PRESS RELEASE 3rd April 2018

Association of Catholics in Ireland

Future Families: Challenges for Faith and Society

The ACI provides a forum to examine the realities of family life and faith in Ireland in preparation for the World Meeting of Families in August.

The Association of Catholics in Ireland (ACI) will hold a public event on the 14th April to provide the opportunity to examine the realities of family life, particularly for those who feel abandoned by or alienated from the Church because of their circumstances. A report of the proceedings will be sent to the organising committee of the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) as a contribution to meeting Pope Francis’ wish for the event to be inclusive and to reflect the reality of life for families today. The meeting will be held on Saturday 14th April in the Hilton Hotel, Charlemont Place, Dublin 2 from 11.00am to 16.00pm. All are welcome to attend.

The WMOF, held every three years, is an international event that brings together families from across the world to reflect upon the central importance of the family as the cornerstone of our lives, of society and of the Church. The ACI have invited speakers to represent family groups of all backgrounds and circumstances — those abused and marginalised, those from the LGBT community, those divorced and separated, disenfranchised youth and homeless families. The ACI wish to ensure that those in our church community and our society who feel marginalised and unwanted have a forum where they can articulate their particular concerns and describe the realities of life for their families in Ireland today. A forum where they can speak freely, knowing that they will be heard with compassion and where their views will be respected. A high level of interest is expected from their membership, parish organisations and lay-led groups, as well as from the membership of the speaker organisations.

Meeting Report
Providing such a forum is only part of the response required to ensure that the voices of the
marginalised are heard during the WMOF 2018. A professional facilitator will manage the
discussions and draft a report. This will be submitted to the WMOF organising committee
and the ACI will be working to ensure that the issues raised are highlighted and given
appropriate consideration at the WMOF in August 2018. It is also the intention to forward a
copy directly to Pope Francis who will attend the WMOF events in Dublin in August.

Event details:
Future Families: Challenges for Faith and Society.
Hilton Hotel, Charlemont Place, Dublin 2

Saturday 14th April 2018. 11.00am – 16.00pm.

Programme

11.00 – Welcome & Opening address
11. 10 – 12.00 – Short presentations by speakers representing the participating organisations
12.00 – Facilitated Group Discussions on the key themes identified during the presentations
13.00 – Lunch break
14.00 – Facilitated Group Discussions Continue.
15.00 – Q & A
15.30 – Closing Remarks

The Association of Catholics in Ireland (ACI) is committed to the pursuit of a reform and
renewal agenda in the Irish Catholic Church based in the spirit of Vatican II. It is committed
to helping to re-build (through words and deeds) a united Church based on the teachings of
Jesus Christ – a Church that is inclusive, compassionate, accepts the equality of all believers
by virtue of their baptism and acknowledges its failures.

For further information contact: Anthony Neville at 086 8112715 or Noel McCann at
087 9274379.
www.acireland.ie