Inspired by the Holy Family of Nazareth, the Family Committee at Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral nurtures the spiritual, social, and community life of families, fostering a deep sense of belonging within the parish and society. Its mission is to strengthen familial and marital spirituality through the planning, organisation, and promotion of family-oriented initiatives.
Over the past year, the committee offered a range of events designed to support and enrich family life. Highlights included family brunches following the 9:30 am Sunday Mass, the annual parish picnic, the Renewal of Marriage Vows ceremony, and the Family Fun Day during Assumption Feast Week. Father’s Day was celebrated with a special bacon and eggs brunch, while the Mother-Daughter Brunch received wide acclaim. Online Family Rosary sessions, retreats for married couples, and family spiritual days provided opportunities for prayer, reflection, and renewal.
A key event in 2024 was the Married Couples Spiritual Day at St Joseph’s Centre, Baulkham Hills. Under the theme “Marriage: A Call to Holiness,” twenty-two couples participated in prayer, talks such as “Filling Our Tanks with God’s Wine,” the symbolic “Washing of Feet” ceremony, and the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, leaving couples inspired to grow together in faith and love. The Renewal of Marriage Vows in July also celebrated couples married from five to sixty years, strengthening marital bonds in a joyful parish setting.
The committee continues its long-standing Men and Women Faith Formation program, fostering fellowship, friendship, and spiritual growth for over a decade. Collaborating closely with the Youth and Teens Committee, the Family Committee builds unity and strengthens parish life, guided by the exhortation of St Paul to “be like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (Philippians 2:2-4).
Through retreats, social events, and spiritual formation, the Family Committee ensures families are supported, faith is nurtured, and the parish community remains vibrant, resilient, and loving.