MORE than 50 Queenslanders are participating in the Church’s second National Family Gathering in Sydney this weekend.
The gathering, ‘Living the Dream’, is an initiative of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Committee for the Family and for Life and is being held at St Joseph’s College, Hunters Hill.
It includes several international keynote speakers and hands-on workshops celebrating family life.
World renowned speaker on Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Christopher West, was scheduled to address both adults and young people, aged 14 and over.
A spokesman for the organisers said US Secretary for Families and Children, Wade Horn, was another speaker creating interest with his sometimes controversial message on men taking responsibility for their sexuality and fatherhood.
Chris and Tom Wilson of Adelaide were among those looking forward to this weekend’s event after being part of the first National Family Gathering, ‘Dare to Dream’, in 2000.
They said their family life had been enriched by attending the first gathering and they had gained a greater appreciation of the role of the family in the life of the Church.
Brisbane Auxiliary Bishops Brian Finnigan and Joseph Oudeman are among those attending from Queensland.
Families from several Brisbane parishes as well as others from regional centres such as Rockhampton, Townsville and Proserpine have also registered.
