A Word From Our Patron

'Family Groups offer our Catholic communities the chance to become more family-sensitive, friendly and welcoming, in line with the objectives of the Bishops’ collaborative pastoral initiative: Everybody’s Welcome. At their best, Family Groups offer understanding, friendship and support to all, encourage and celebrate family life in its myriad forms, and help everyone in the parish feel that they belong. I am delighted to be the patron of the Family Group Movement (England & Wales), and to endorse this initiative.'


Peter Doyle, Bishop of Northampton

Family Group Movement Collage

Family Group Movement Collage

Tuesday 1 August 2017

August Newsletter Article Part One

National Family Group Movement Steering Group


The Family Group Movement is a national steering group formed over three years ago; comprised of a team of volunteers drawn from Family Groups in parishes across England and Wales, along with two regional diocesan marriage and family life coordinators and a Chaplain who is a priest experienced in Family Group matters. The Steering Group is led by joint chair - Chris and Vincent Joyce who have been involved for over ten years with Family Groups in their own parish St Michael and St Bernadette's Whitefield in the Diocese of Salford.

Steering Group members keep in regular contact over social media, convene via quarterly conference call and holds an annual residential event for all members. Our last residential was held in March, earlier this year at Oblate Retreat Centre, Wistaston Hall, Crewe. The main focus of recent discussion was preparation and plans for the National Mass. We also finalised new publicity material and revised our Constitution to ensure it remains fit for purpose. The Steering Group members all agreed to actively support our key objective of encouraging the growth of the movement during 2017/18 as interest grows from new parishes keen to establish family groups. 

Oblate Retreat Centre, Wistaston Hall, Crewe
If you think you may have the skills and interest to come on board as a member of the Steering Group we would love to hear from you on a no commitment basis. You would have to commit to attending three conference calls each year (held for one hour in the evening) and the annual residential event as well as supporting and contributing to the work and objectives of the Steering Group.

For an informal chat please email us and one of the Steering Group will then contact you.


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