Celebrating Family & Marriage ‘A great Success’
Salford Diocesan Family Forum Report

On Sunday 9th February, 40 people from a range of organisations came together at St John’s Cathedral, Salford to celebrate their work in Family & Marriage across the diocese.

In a relaxed and informal afternoon much work was done to take the Diocesan Family Forum forward. The Forum responded to Bishop Terence Brain’s challenge contained in his response to Faith in the Future stage one, issued last year. (copies available on request)

“ Do we have a responsibility in our prophetic mission to find the means of supporting and encouraging family life so that parents take their responsibilities from Baptism and Confirmation seriously and give their children not just the opportunity of education in our schools, but also an experience of homes that are ‘schools’ where they naturally learn the place of God in their lives.”

“………….……how will we work together to prepare them for their part in the mission of the Church in Salford?
How do we enable this educating in the family?
Do we have the structures we need?”

The day was a celebration of Marriage & Family life, held at the start of National Marriage Week. Representatives from Marriage Encounter, Marriage Care & Schoenstatt led workshop sessions to share their work with people who perhaps didn’t know about it.

Representatives from Catholic Family Care, Christian Family Weeks and the Centre for Church & Industry were also present. Each organisation presented a display of their work and resource material for use in family life work..

The open forum at the end of the day gave a tremendous boost to the work of the Family Forum in the diocese. Each discussion group was asked to respond to the questions raised by the Bishop.

There was overwhelming agreement that organisations must work more closely together and share the skills, experiences and resources that they all have. A call for the day to be repeated else where in the diocese was also made. Stronger links need to be made throughout the diocese with all organisations involved in this area of ministry and work.

Two comments came from those attending which perhaps give a great indication of the need to work closely together:

‘ Marriage & Family Life ministry is the best way of evangelisation as it encompasses all ages and all individuals’.

Another person commented on the wealth of experience and skills present: ‘There are many gifts in this room…. It is in you that the Church lives in our world.’