Children from Listowel schools visit the icon at St Mary's Church. 
WMOF 2018
With just under four months to go until the opening of the World Meeting of Families 2018 in Dublin, the organising team has just announced another registration milestone with more than 17,000 people now registered for the Pastoral Congress which will take place in the RDS, Dublin from 22-24 August.
Figures show that 7,800 of those registered are based in Ireland and 10,100 of those are overseas registrations. The WMOF2018 is on target to have up to 12,000 overseas visitors which will mean that Ireland will have one of the largest international attendance figures of any WMOF to date and double the number of international delegates who attended the most recent WMF2015 in Philadelphia.
Registration for the Pastoral Congress of WMOF2018 is still available and people are invited to register now for one or three days of what promises to be a dynamic family event with world renowned speakers. See www.worldmeeting2018.ie for more.
Ticketing for Festival of Families and Closing Mass of WMOF 2018
At the moment the tickets for the Festival of Families in Croke Park on August 25 and the Closing Mass in Phoenix Park on Sunday, August 26 are not directly available on general release. These tickets will not be available until the WMOF2018 has completed their consultations with the relevant statutory agencies on capacity, transport, security, safety and other issues. When these tickets become available they will be free.
Make a Difference – Volunteer with WMOF 2018
The World Meeting of Families 2018 and the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland will attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to Ireland from August 21-26, 2018.
There is a full programme to be delivered over six days and the WMOF2018 will need the help of thousands of volunteers to make it all happen.
The WMOF2018 already has almost 2,500 volunteers registered but thousands more are needed.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to meet families from all around the world, learn new skills, witness inspiring sessions, meet other great volunteers and be part of this historic event.
Those interested in volunteering are being encouraged to sign up now to be part of one of many different teams and areas of expertise including:
The Event Services Team will assist with the smooth running of a specific area. Volunteers could be in the welcome area, the entrance gates, the car parks, lecture venues or the grounds of the venues.
This will be the largest team and will include activities which vary from front of house (checking tickets in venues, ushering and dealing with customers), pilgrim badge and bag distribution and backstage support, as well as behind the scenes.
The Hospitality/Meet and Greet Services Team will welcome everyone to WMOF2018 at the various points of entry. We need people who like people, who have big smiles and a willingness to help others.
The WMOF2018 Information Services Team will assist in the delivery of information to volunteers for pilgrims and WMOF2018 functional areas.
The Logistical Services Team will facilitate the smooth running of the WMOF2018 venues. Logistics planning skills for team leaders and good levels of energy for the volunteers is what’s required here.
The Media Services Team will assist the media and communications office in sharing the story of the WMOF2018 with the world. Volunteers will support the thousands of international media with a welcome, access to office space, refreshments, directions to get to the various areas, accreditation passes etc.
The Medical Services Team will be responsible for providing medical care to all pilgrims at WMOF2018. Medical staff will be on hand to deliver medical support or treatment. We need assistance in the rest and care areas to offer comfort and a cup of tea to those who may just need a rest.
The Pastoral and Liturgical Services Team volunteers will assist in the prayer spaces, the sacristy, the vesting areas, as Eucharistic ministers and other supports for the liturgical parts of WMOF2018.
Translation will be a key service as part of WMOF2018 and the Translation Services Team will assist with translations for various texts or help facilitate pilgrims from different language groups. Our official languages are English, Irish, French, Spanish and Italian but many other languages will also be represented.
The Transportation Team will ensure pilgrims and guests get to where they need to be, safely and on time. This team will be working in many locations around the city.
The Volunteer Services Team will assist with the planning, scheduling, administration, check-in, support, and uniform distribution for the several thousand Volunteers that will make WMOF2018 happen.
Venue Team Leaders will be responsible for managing teams of volunteers who work at checking tickets and door reports. Correct stage set up for speakers before events, tidying and managing the floor is also key here.
Registration Team Leaders will liaise between staff and volunteers at the registration and ticket desks in the event venues, delivering a smooth and friendly service to the pilgrims arriving.
Family Area Volunteers will offer arts and crafts to our younger visitors, as part of a fun, bright space for families to hang out. Volunteers in the family area will work closely with the family area manager supporting the programme of activities to include our Tech Zone.
There is still a lot of work to be done between now and August so if you think you could give us some hours to help now with project management or advice in any of the areas we are working in, please let us know.
We are looking for volunteers as individuals or groups who can give between two to four days during August 19-28, 2018. Registration is typically online through our website www.worldmeeting2018.ie. However, where there are large groups volunteering from a company, club etc, we are happy to attend in person for an information session.
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this historic event in Ireland.
Sign up now!
