“Family is the first place where people learn to love”, affirmed Pope Francis who this Saturday, June 25, 2022 participated in the Eucharistic celebration held in St. Peter’s Square, presided over by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, at the Vatican. In this meeting they presented before God, as expressed by Pope Francis, all that the Holy Spirit has sown in the families, and prayed that He may uphold them with his fortitude and love.
At the same time, over 700 people from 13 parishes of the Diocese of Los Teques gathered at the Sanctuary of Betania to celebrate the closing of the 10th World Meeting of Families. Prayer, meditation, Eucharistic adoration, confession, the celebration of the Holy Mass and a guided visit of 40 members of one of the participating parishes to one of the oratories located in Finca Betania, were some of the activities that took place.
Msgr. Raul Bacallao, Vicar General of the Diocese of Los Teques, accompanied by the Reverend Priests Enrique Yanes, Gorgregory Oviedo, Mario Sebastian, Eder Huitzil, Hector Martinez and Juan Mijares led this beautiful gathering, together with the coordinators of the Family Pastoral, with the support of members of the Betania Foundation, now Betania Spirituality Movement. It was a meeting in which they reflected on the family life of Jesus, how faithfulness in the family leads to holiness and the example that the Holy Family offers. They exhorted to embrace the sacrament of Marriage or Priesthood, since through the sacraments special graces are received. To pray the family Rosary, and to walk in faith and good works were also exhortations. They invited to recall that at home people are educated and at school people are instructed. “Baptism has made us families of God and family must be a path to holiness,” said Bishop Bacallao.
