Pope Calls Global Church Leaders to Rome to Renew Mission to Families

Marking the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Leo XIV has invited the presidents of Bishops’ Conferences worldwide for a high-level meeting in Rome in October 2026, aimed at revitalizing pastoral outreach to families in today’s complex realities.

In a letter released on March 19, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, he described the 2016 Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Francis as a “luminous message of hope” that continues to shape the Church’s understanding of marriage and family life today.

The October 2026 gathering is envisioned not simply as a meeting of Church leaders, but as a deeply synodal moment of “mutual listening” and discernment. The Pope is calling bishops to come together and reflect on the lived realities of families across cultures, continents, and social contexts.

In a world marked by rapid anthropological and cultural shifts, ranging from changing views on marriage to increasing social fragmentation, the Pope insists that the Church must listen before it speaks. This approach builds on the legacy of the 2014 and 2015 Synods of Bishops, which laid the groundwork for Amoris Laetitia.

While calling for renewal, Pope Leo firmly anchors his vision in the Church’s living tradition. He places Amoris Laetitia among the most important teachings on the family in the post–Second Vatican Council era, alongside Familiaris Consortio by Pope John Paul II.

This continuity underscores that the Church’s teaching on the family is not changing in its essence, but deepening in its application. 

The Pope reiterated that the family remains the “basis of society” and the heart of the “domestic Church,” where faith is first encountered, nurtured, and passed on. 

However, he also acknowledged that this mission requires renewed pastoral creativity, one that supports parents, strengthens relationships, and fosters spirituality in the ordinary rhythms of daily life.

A significant focus is also placed on young people. The Pope has urged the Church to rediscover ways of presenting marriage and family life as something attractive, meaningful, and life-giving. 

In a cultural climate where long-term commitments are often viewed with hesitation, the Church is called to witness that love, fidelity, and family remain sources of deep joy and fulfillment.

Entrusting the initiative to Saint Joseph, the guardian of the Holy Family, the Pope expressed hope that the October 2026 meeting will mark a turning point.