Heavenly Father,

We come before You to praise You

and to thank You for the great gift of the family.

We pray to You for all families consecrated by the Sacrament of Matrimony.

May they rediscover each day the grace they have received,

and as small domestic Churches, may they know how to witness to your

Presence and to the love with which Christ loves the Church.

We pray to You for all families faced with difficulty and suffering caused by illness or

circumstances of which only You know.

Sustain them and make them aware of the path to holiness upon which You call them,

so that they might experience your infinite Mercy and find new ways to grow in love. 

We pray to You for children and young people:

may they encounter You and respond joyfully to the vocation You have in mind for them;

We pray for parents and grandparents: may they be aware that they are signs of the

fatherhood and motherhood of God in caring for the children who, in body and spirit,

You entrust to them; for the experience of fraternity that the family can give to the world.

Lord, grant that each family might live their specific vocation to holiness in the Church

as a call to become missionary disciples, in the service of life and peace,

in communion with our priests, religious, and all vocations in the Church.

Bless the World Meeting of Families.

Amen.