Family Theme for Pilgrimage

This morning our youngest son left for London and onwards tomorrow on the road to Paris and then Chartres, a 70 mile walking pilgrimage which this year has the theme 'Family, cradle of Christendom'. All four of our children have walked the road. We have not. Until last year at least one of our children had been there for the past 18 years! My husband and I made a conscious decision from the first to let them make this pilgrimage independently of us, just as they must do in their faith journey. All of them are active Catholics and the Chartres Pilgrimage has to have played some part in that.
Each of the three days is under the patronage of a particular saint or saints, this year chosen to fit the family theme. We will be praying through their intercession and also praying Pope John Paul II's Prayer for Families each day knowing that it is only through prayer that we can hope to defeat those forces, growing ever stronger in today's culture, that seek to destroy the family. Our prayers and intentions are carried by our son and our prayers go with him and all the pilgrims.

Lord God, from you every family in heaven and on earth takes its name.

Father, you are Love and Life.

Through your Son, Jesus Christ, born of woman, and through the Holy Spirit, fountain of divine charity, grant that every family on earth may become for each successive generation a true shrine of life and love.

Grant that your grace may guide the thoughts and actions of husbands and wives for the good of their families and of all the families in the world.

Grant that the young may find in the family solid support for their human dignity and for their growth in truth and love.

Grant that love, strengthened by the grace of the sacrament of
marriage, may prove mightier than all the weakness and trials through which our families sometimes pass.

Through the intercession of the Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that the Church may fruitfully carry out her worldwide mission in the family and through the family.

Through Christ our Lord, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life
for ever and ever.
Amen.+