On the occasion of the International Day dedicated to the Family, which was celebrated on May 15th, 2011, the Diocesan Commission for the Family together with the Pastoral Secretariat of the Church in Malta organized a day long activity for all Maltese families, at the grounds and complex of the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC), Ta’ Qali.
The activity organised this year was given the name ‘Pass hi + hu’, with reference to the traditional game of Hopscotch (Passju). This was chosen to reflect the beauty of the experience of marriage and the family which starts with the steps that a man and a woman take towards each other and the steps they continue to take together as a married couple within a family.
On this day, various activities were held for all of the family; couples, children, youth and the elderly. The day started at 9.00 a.m. with Mass celebrated by Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. This was animated by the seminarians and religious students since this day was also Vocations Day. After Mass, a varied programme around the large MFCC tent began. These included games for children, concerts and exhibitions by different local groups, counseling and support services for the family by the Cana Movement, the Blood Donation Unit, promotional campaign for the environment ‘34U’, and food and drink stalls for families to spend the entire day within this environment. In the afternoon, Archbishop Paul Cremona O.P. met families present and then followed various activities which began at 4.00 p.m. such as ‘live’ music, sharing of experiences and a message by His Grace to conclude.
The celebration of Family Day which is celebrated in many countries around the world was aimed to raise awareness about the beauty of marriage and the importance of the family.
Click on photos to enlarge. The photos of the Archbishop’s events may be purchased from PHOTOCITY, Valletta. Tel: 21236723. Email: [email protected]