50th Anniversary Celebration Video
This video displays a collection of photos from across the Movement’s years backed by a lively song, ‘Hearts On Fire’ by Michael Mangan. The video runs for just four minutes. After a very brief welcome/introduction the video can ‘speak for itself’. This could be supported with the availability of PFGM brochures and enrolment forms and access to a few Family Group members to chat to those who would like to ask questions about Family Groups in your parish.
Following is a video of the 50th Anniversary Mass held on the 6th of May 2023 at St Anthony in the Fields in Terry Hills Sydney the birthplace of the Passionist Family Group Movement.
Matters of the Heart
This video explains the aims of the Family Group Movement, how it operates, on a day-to-day basis, and its hopes for the future. As the world becomes a busier, more self-absorbed place, Fr Peter McGrath sees the Movement as providing a crucial and valuable means of nurturing community care. People can rely on a strong community network to provide a haven of friendship and support in our fast-paced modern society. As Father Peter says “we have to remind people to stop, and smell the roses!”
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Family Groups in a Changing Church and a Changing World
The following videos were taken from a presentation given by Fr Ray Sanchez CP in October 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fr Ray explores the impact that COVID-19 has made on our Church and our World.
Summary
We are now into our second year of the pandemic, and it certainly has had an impact on our lives, our Church practice and our ability to interact as Passionist Family Groups. The instability, world wide, that it has caused has increased uncertainly and anxiety, while lockdowns have impacted our emotional and mental health as well as our need to relate to each other in terms of social gatherings and physical touch. While individual Family Groups have found creative ways to keep the spirit of the movement alive, questions remain about the future of Family Groups. In this series of short videos we explore these issues and what it means to be living in a time of transition.
Session 1 – Church in a Time of Change
We have already been living through a time of transition in the Church with a steady decline in vocations and mass attenders. This has impacted Family Groups in terms of where we find new members. But all of this has been deepened and expanded due to the pandemic. We begin by looking at the nature of the problem.
Session 2 – Chains that Bind Us
The experience of lockdown has exposed the fact that we had become bound to a particular affluent lifestyle that we took for granted. When all this is taken from us, what can we learn from this experience?
Session 3 – What We Want vs What We Get
Lockdown has challenged us in terms of a lifestyle that has had a negative effect on the planet. It has challenged us in terms of a busy lifestyle that has had a negative effect on our health and on our relationships. Yet, we resist change, even when it’s good for us.
Session 4 – Human Need
The needs we put our energies into satisfying can be placed in a hierarchy of needs. If our basic needs are met, we seek to satisfy our higher needs. But when those basic needs are threatened, we quickly forget about care of others and focus on survival.
Session 5 – Need for Connection
At a time when we most need the reassurance of connecting with others, we are prevented from doing so by the safety measures employed to halt the pandemic’s spread.
Session 6 – A Time of Transition
What can we learn from transitions? Transitions are the natural process of disorientation and reorientation that mark the turning points on the path of growth.
Session 7 – A New Beginning
Imagining what a new, post-COVID, beginning might look like for the Passionist Family Group Movement.
Session 8 – Stewards of Family Groups
The new beginning will depend on us taking up Jesus’ call to be stewards of what he has left us – to take up our adult responsibility to care for and nurture the future of Passionist Family Groups and the Church.