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Some of those attending the assembly on Sunday.
SOME 300 parish personnel gathered in Tralee from across the 53 parishes for the Diocesan Assembly in the Brandon Hotel on Sunday.
Dr. Dan O’Connell, lecturer at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, presented the keynote address exploring the importance of family. Dr O’Connell is co-author of ‘Grow in Love’ which is the new Religious Education programme in primary schools.
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A variety of workshops offered practical resources and ideas for implementation at parish level. Themes related to supporting families in crisis, family prayer, youth-friendly parishes, family and caring for the earth, parish faith development programmes, celebrating family liturgies in the parish and the World Meeting of Families.
The Diocesan Assembly was composed of Clergy, members of Parish Pastoral Councils, Liturgy groups, Youth Ministers, Parish Secretaries and Sacristans. Concern for family arose from the Listening Process conducted throughout the diocese during the development of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan 2016 – 2020.
This diocesan Assembly Parish Supporting Family Life launched the preparations for the World Meeting of Families in the diocese ahead of the congress and festival in Dublin next August.
Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne stated that the day gave renewed confidence in the parishes and diocese. He called for an ongoing commitment to family in three areas:
1. to home and family, including extended family
2. to supporting other families in their time of need
and
3. to work for a society worldwide creating the best environment for families to thrive.
