World Meeting of Families – Dublin Ireland

August 21-26, 2018

The Gospel of the Family: Joy for the World!

 

It is raining cats and dogs outside. You can hear it on the roof of the RDS – the Royal Dublin Society – where the congress is being held for the week. A man walks up to me and says, “it’s incredibly nasty outside! It’s so dark and gloomy. But not in here. It is full of the hope and happiness of Christ– can you feel it?”

 

Magdala is a Crossroads of Jewish and Christian History. Last week that Crossroads traveled to Ireland. A Crossroads that allows us to meet one another, in all parts of the world and to share in an encounter with each other. Magdala is a catalyst to make all this possible. I feel truly blessed to be a part of the Magdala team and have the opportunity to travel, to meet and talk to so many of you, and to hopefully bring a little part of Magdala to your world for those who have not visited or are unable to.

Our week at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin has been an incredible one. So many testimonies like the one above have been shared with us throughout the week. Both the Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center and Magdala spent the week inviting many families from all over the world to come and visit the Holy Land. We have been so touched and encouraged at the number of people who came to our booth, expressed interest, shared testimonies, and so much more. More over many families we met have already visited Magdala or heard of Magdala and have shared it with others. To you pilgrims, volunteers, and visitors that have walked through Magdala and are sharing the site´s discovery across the world… we are extremely thankful!

Let us pray that for all those who have visited the site or are wishing to visit that this desire for them to experience the Holy Land can become a reality.

-By Richard Kovacs

Marketing and Development – USA Office

 

WMOF 2018 Official Prayer:

God, our Father,

We are brothers and sisters in Jesus your Son, one family, in the Spirit of your love.
Bless us with the joy of love. Make us patient and kind, gentle and generous, welcoming to those in need. Help us to live your forgiveness and peace.

Protect all families with your loving care, especially those for whom we now pray:

[We pause and remember family members and others by name].

Increase our faith, strengthen our hope, keep us safe in your love, make us always grateful for the gift of life that we share.

This we ask, through Christ our Lord, Amen.