"United in Baptism and Marriage"

2nd World Gathering of Interchurch Families

at
Villa Mondo Migliore Rocca di Papa,

near Rome 2003

The speakers and attendees had an opportunity to read and speak to a documentprepared by an international body of representatives of Associations, networks, and groups of interchurch families. The document is available to read or print.

We had the opportunity to:

• hear reports from countries around the world and exchange experiences as interchurch families.
• pray and worship together in various church traditions.
• present our hopes, opportunities and needs to world church leaders, both Roman Catholic and Protestant.
• hear their responses and discuss with them what we can contribute to church unity.
• put questions to a panel of experts, and also discuss our experiences in small groups.
• We joined the Pope at Castel Gondolfo for the Angelus on Sunday, and were mentioned in his greetings.
• Children and young people from interchurch families had their own parallel programme, which gave form to the vibrancy of their faith.

Accommodation

Those attending the Rome World Gathering stayed at the conference centre 'Villa Mondo Migliore'. The centre, run by Catholic sisters, is on the picturesque Lake Albano in the Alban Hills, about 2km from the town of Rocca di Papa, 20km south of Rome. On the other side of the lake is Castel Gandolfo, the Pope's summer residence.

Languages

The World Gathering washeld in English, French, German, and Italian. The main addresses and plenary sessions were simultaneously interpreted.