Families are not only the object of the Church’s pastoral care but active agents of Christian life. This powerful message was the red thread of the AVOSA Jubilee of Families, held on November 8 at St. Anthony Parish in Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE.

More than 300 people, including many children and teens, took part in the Jubilee, which featured talks, youth programs, a Jubilee pilgrimage, the Holy Mass, and activities for all in the desert, concluding with dinner and a final sharing with Bishop Paolo.

Bishop Paolo opened the event with a reflection on “Retracing the Paths of Holiness in Families,” focusing on nurturing faith and building values within our homes. He emphasized the universal call to holiness for all the baptized and highlighted how the Church recognizes holiness not despite marriage, but through it.

“In a Christian vision of marriage, to understand the relationship between man and woman, we must look to Jesus Christ and his love for the Church,” Bishop Paolo said. “In the Gospel, Jesus presents himself as the bridegroom who gives his life for his bride,” and “the Fathers of the Church interpreted the Paschal Mystery as a nuptial covenant between Christ and the Church.”

In recent years, more married couples have been declared saints, such as the Martins, parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. As a sign of the special value the Church attributes to marriage as a path to holiness, Bishop Paolo gifted a relic of the couple to the Family Ministry Office.

He also offered practical advice for growing faith within the family—taking care of the spousal relationship, praying together, and fostering mutual understanding. During the session, he shared personal memories of growing up in a Catholic family in the 1960s.

During the Holy Mass, Bishop Paolo again reflected on the bond between Christ and the Church: “Dying on the Cross, Christ pours blood and water from his side, symbolizing the sacraments of the Church that heal and save believers,” he said in his homily.

Fr. Peter Fernando, Director of the AVOSA Family Ministry Office, led a session on “Fabric and Forces of Relationships in Families” for parents, presenting the Church’s teachings on family life from Vatican II to today.

He underlined the value of the marriage covenant as the place where God’s love is revealed and wounds are healed. “Marriage is the true measure of love: total, faithful, and fruitful,” he said, quoting Humanae Vitae. He also shed light on the path of holiness for families with practical advice: praying together, listening and communicating with one another, practicing forgiveness and mutual respect, and cultivating hospitality and openness — all of which are the building blocks of a strong marriage rooted in faith.

Families then accomplished the Jubilee pilgrimage along an 11-station path set up in the parish compound, praying the Rosary together. The day concluded with fellowship in the desert, a shared meal, and a joyful closing moment with the Bishop.