The 2015 World Meeting of Families took place in Philadelphia and was attended by a group of pilgrims from Ireland, led by Bishop Liam MacDaid, Bishop of Clogher. The delegation were delighted to learn at the Closing Mass that Dublin had been chosen as the host city for the 2018 World Meeting of Families
We were delighted to receive an invitation from Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, to join the delegation of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference attending the 2015 World Meeting of Families (WMOF) in Philadelphia.
The theme of the WMOF was “Love is our Mission – The Family Fully Alive”.
In preparation, a comprehensive catechesis explaining the vision of love in more detail was provided. It emphasised that “love should be taught, shared and communicated in and through the family, the domestic church” and “the family shares in the mission of the whole church”.
From the outset of the first Mass we began to appreciate the true enormity of the multicultural, multilingual church of Jesus Christ being enthusiastically expressed in diversity. The daily format started with Mass followed by engaging keynote speakers and breakout sessions with the opportunity for Q & A. We found the overall experience facilitated reflective insights for lay people, deepening their 
understanding and faith.
It was the experience of a lifetime to be present when Pope Francis concelebrated Mass before thousands of people at the closing of the WMOF on 27th September.
As Dublin and Ireland have been chosen to host the 2018 WMOF, the families of Ireland will have the opportunity to experience this great event at home and to welcome families from all over the world.
We very much appreciated the kindness, humour and spiritual leadership of Bishop Liam Mac Daid, Bishop of Clogher (our delegation leader), Bishop Donal Murray, Bishop Emeritus of Limerick and Fr. Peter Murphy, Executive Secretary of the Commission for Pastoral Care and the Council for Marriage and the Family of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference,
It was a wonderful experience which we look forward to sharing with our extended family and friends.
Ann & Dermot O’Malley
It was a beautiful September afternoon when the Irish Delegation attending the World Meeting of Families arrived at the Memorial An Gorta Mór. This monument, completed in 2003, is dedicated to the Irish people who fled the Great Hunger and journeyed to America in the hope of a new life. I don’t think any of us anticipated the overwhelming scale of the sculpture, not just in terms of its size but also the tragic story unfolding in front of us, a story that is at once local and global. At first sight, it looks like a great ship with people boarding, stooped and haggard from the east end. As I walked around the ship I could discern figures emerging, upright and confident as they arrived in Philadelphia. The story of the stages of the journey is reflected in the faces and demeanour of the sculpted faces and bodies. An Gorta Mór is not just a compelling example of public art but a testament to forbearance and hope.
The Parish of St. Anne has close links with the Ancient Order of Hibernians, who commissioned the An 
Gorta Mór monument. St. Anne Church is located in a borough of Philadelphia known as Port Richmond. Founded in July, 1845, the parishioners gave assistance to many of the millions of Irish immigrants who made a new home in America in the years 1845-50, and after. The history of Saint Anne Church has been one of service to the victims, survivors and descendants of An Gorta Mór. The parish has lost none of that sense of history, as was evident in the people who welcomed us for the celebration of Mass. Despite never having met these people before, there was a tangible sense of being ‘at home’. It wasn’t only their hospitality that impressed us but the knowledge of a shared history and common purpose. In his introduction, Bishop Mac Daid thanked the parishioners for this hospitality, and the very generous welcome they gave us. The bishop said: ‘It has been one of the highlights of our visit-meeting, greeting and sharing stories with our fellow countrymen and women.’ About our visit to the An Gorta Mór monument, he said: ‘It brought us back to a traumatic time and a shared horror which forged bonds and left deep marks on our psyche. It was one of those shattering experiences which along with happier ones shape our self-image as a people.’
The lilt of familiar music greeted us as we gathered after Mass in St. Anne Parish Hall. As a northerner, I was amazed at the number of people with connections in Ulster. One man I met left the Ormeau Road area in Belfast in 1957 but I could still detect the northern accent and Belfast swagger. As we bid our farewells to Fr. Edward Brady and our new friends, I certainly felt a deep gratitude to those who settled in Philadelphia, and for their desire to maintain real connections Ireland’s past and present. They do this to honour those who have gone before and to pass on this legacy of courage and hope to future generations.
Deirdre O’Rawe
The Wedding Feast of the Lamb Oratoria
Not being fully sure of what an Oratoria was I checked my well-worn dictionary which defined an oratoria as – ‘a large scale musical work on a religious theme for orchestra and voices’. This indeed was what I had the honour and pleasure of attending as part of the celebration of the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September 2015.
The Irish Episcopal Conference delegation to the World Meeting of Families were invited by composer Cormac O’Duffy to attend the world premier of his ‘Wedding Feast of the Lamb’ Oratoria in St. John the Evangelist Church in downtown Philadelphia. This premier was part of the programme for the World Meeting of Families 2015.
Having composed music for weddings in the past, Cormac O’Duffy had a desire to complete an oratoria which would demonstrate the parallels between marriage and the love of Christ for His bride, the church, and the final consummation of that marriage in heaven. Cormac started to compose this work in early 2014 to be premiered during the World Meeting of Families in September 2015.
And so it was on Thursday, 24th September. It was quite a production. There was a soprano, a tenor and a baritone, male and female choirs from the University of Villa Nova and an orchestra from a local high school. All in all there must have been over 50 people on the altar involved in the performance. St. John the Evangelist Church was an excellent location. As the former Cathedral of the Diocese of Philadelphia it had the size and acoustics to support the performance.
Bishop Liam McDaid, Bishop of Clogher and leader of the Irish delegation, delivered the opening address which included a message to Cormac of congratulations and of blessing of his future work from Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and President of the Bishops Conference. Bishop McDaid delivered this message beautifully, and movingly, ‘as gaeilge’.
The Oratoria itself was spell binding. There was no concept of time during the performance. The enthusiasm of the choirs and conductor was infectious. It was a celebration of our faith and the wonderful talents of those performing. There was a spontaneous standing ovation at its conclusion.
The Irish delegation was delighted to have been invited to this premier and would strongly recommend anyone who gets the opportunity to listen to this Oratoria to do so. We wish Cormac O’Duffy every success in promoting this beautiful piece of music.
Barbara Gilroy