The charity event was hosted by the Centre for Marriage and Family (CMF) on 10 November in Tawa, near Wellington.

The American Filipino-born priest who travels the world sharing the importance of family dinners, delighted attendees with a live cooking demonstration while at the same time sharing biblical truths such as a knife being the double-edged sword of the Bible.

Renowned New Zealand chef Martin Bosley also spoke at the event about his culinary journey and his charity work with prisoners, called Prison Gate to Plate.

People were able to taste the gourmet pasta meal prepared by prisoners from the Rimutaka prison.

Director of CMF Patrica Sison said "Both Fr Leo and Martin Bosley are involved in the important work of helping prisoners out of a life recidivism."

In the afternoon session, Leo, who is also a third-degree black belt instructor, treated the audience to a live martial arts demonstration as he explained aspects of spiritual warfare.

Sison said Leo is a multi-talented man with a deep prayer life and it shows in the ways he is able to relate faith with food and other aspects of life and, at the same time, communicate deep spiritual truths; much in the same way Jesus would have done through his parables.

Leo is the founder of Plating Grace, a movement to bring families back to the dinner table.

He believes the simple act of creating and sharing a meal can strengthen all kinds of relationships.

"We believe in the power of food to do good - for all people, no matter their background - as food is the common denominator that can bridge people and culture" he says.

He says it's important to sit down at the table and have dinner with your kids, "it's good for them and will make them better people."

Leo is also an award-winning author and radio and tv show host. He has a weekly tv show called Savouring Our Faith on the Catholic Channel EWTN.

He lives in a consecrated community called Voluntas Dei (The Will of God).

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Supplied: Patrica Sison, Director Centre for Marriage and Family

Aside from the number of pilgrims that attended, the miracle was the beautiful cloudy day sandwiched in between two days of wet weather that saw the pilgrims journey from one church to another visiting sacred sites associated with our Blessed Mother.

The Family pilgrimage began with 8:30 am mass celebrated by parish priest Fr. James Lyons at the Sacred Heart Cathedral. This was followed by a trip to the Our Lady of Fatima Church at Tawa where the pilgrims received a blessing from Fr. Marlon Tebelin, the new Filipino chaplain. From there, the pilgrims journeyed to the statue of Our Lady of Kapiti at Paraparaumu, then to the Our Lady of Fatima Church in Waikanae. The pilgrimage culminated with lunch and a visit to the historical St. Mary's Church in Otaki where children led in Pope John Paul II's Prayer for the Family.

At each sacred site, a decade of the Joyful Mystery of the Rosary was prayed corresponding to a particular intention: (1) For Men and women and young people to discover their true identity and dignity in Christ; (2) For human life to be respected from conception up to natural death; (3) For an increase in marriage, priestly and religious vocations; (4) For love and unity in the family, and for an increase in the number of Christian families living and passing on the Christian faith; and (5) For support for the weak, the elderly and those marginalised in society

The scripture that served as inspiration for the Family Pilgrimage was the Wedding at Cana from the Gospel of John, where Jesus turned water into wine for the newly married couple at the request of His mother—though his "hour" had not yet come (John 2:1-12). It shows the powerful intercession of our Blessed Mother and her maternal care for families.

The Family Pilgrimage was organised by the Legion of Mary and the Centre for Marriage and Family (CMF). It is an offshoot of the Pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Auckland that was held at the end of September and early October last year, to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima.

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The Family Fun Day Out at Aotea Lagoon included games and spot prizes, a walk around the lagoon, cakes, live music and a sausage sizzle.

Many young couples and families attended despite the threat of wet weather.

World Marriage Day is held every second Sunday of February in many countries.

Its origins began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1981, when couples encouraged the Mayor, the Governor and the Bishop to proclaim St. Valentines Day as ‘We Believe in Marriage Day'.

The event was so successful the idea was presented to and was adopted by Worldwide Marriage Encounter's National Leadership.

Since then World Marriage Day celebrations continue to grow and spread to more countries and faith expressions every year.

"What impacted me the most, was that it was a lovely and joyous statement about the value to our society of marriage and family," said Centre Chairman Ewen Laurenson and co-founder of the Open Home Foundation.

He and his wife Gillian won the prize for the longest married couple of 47 years

Centre Director Patricia Sison said, "I felt God honoured the occasion in the way the weather held."

"God is good! He made the sun come out as He said he would and at just the right time- 2 pm the start of the event."

"He is faithful and I have gained a better understanding of what marriage is through his faithfulness in my life."

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