Paschal Norbert
VATICAN, MARCH 24, 2026 (CISA) – Pope Leo XIV has announced that presidents of Episcopal Conferences from around the world will gather in Rome in October 2026 for a synodal meeting aimed at deepening how the Church proclaims the Gospel to families in today’s context. The announcement comes in his message marking the tenth anniversary of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, first issued by Pope Francis in 2016.
Amoris Laetitia (Latin for “The Joy of Love”) is a post-synodal apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis addressing the pastoral care of families. Released on April 8, 2016, it followed the Synods on the Family held in 2014 and 2015 and remains a landmark document guiding the Church’s engagement with family life.
“In light of the changes that continue to impact families, I have decided to convene the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences from around the world in October 2026, in an effort to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today,” Pope Leo XIV stated, emphasizing that the gathering will build on the vision and pastoral insights of Amoris Laetitia while taking into account the lived realities of local Churches.
Reflecting on the significance of the exhortation, the Pope recalled its origins and enduring impact on the Church’s pastoral mission.
“On 19 March 2016, Pope Francis offered the universal Church a luminous message of hope regarding conjugal love and family life… On this tenth anniversary, we give thanks to the Lord for the stimulus that has encouraged reflection and pastoral conversion in the Church,” he said, noting that the document continues to inspire renewed efforts in family ministry.
Drawing from the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, the Pope reaffirmed the centrality of the family in both society and the Church.
“The family is ‘the basis of society,’ a gift from God and ‘a school for human enrichment.’ Through the sacrament of marriage, Christian spouses form a kind of ‘domestic church,’ whose role is essential for teaching and transmitting the faith,” he said, linking this vision to earlier magisterial teachings such as Familiaris Consortio and Amoris Laetitia.
The Holy Father also highlighted the importance of synodality and listening in addressing contemporary family realities. Quoting Pope Francis’ 2015 Synod address, he noted that “it is not possible to ‘speak about the family without engaging families themselves, listening to their joys and their hopes, their sorrows and their anguish.’”
This approach, he suggested, remains essential as the Church responds to ongoing cultural and anthropological changes affecting family life.
Expounding on key themes of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Leo XIV pointed to its enduring pastoral relevance: “Amoris Laetitia offers valuable teachings that we must continue to examine today: the biblical hope of God’s loving and merciful presence… the invitation to adopt ‘the gaze of Jesus’ and tirelessly to encourage ‘the growth, strengthening and deepening of conjugal and family love.’”
He further underscored the exhortation’s call for “new pastoral methods,” better education of children, and a renewed commitment to “accompany, discern and integrate fragility.”
Addressing the realities faced by families today, the Pope stressed the theological significance of human fragility.
“Fragility is ‘part of the marvel of creation… We are not made for a life where everything is taken for granted and static, but for an existence that is constantly renewed through gift of self in love,’” he said, urging the Church to present marriage as a vocation rooted in grace, even amid challenges.
He also called for concrete pastoral support, particularly for families affected by poverty and violence, while expressing gratitude for those who faithfully live out the Gospel in daily life
“We thank the Lord for families who, despite difficulties and challenges, live ‘the spirituality of family love… made up of thousands of small but real gestures,’” he said, also acknowledging the work of pastors, lay associations, and ecclesial movements engaged in family ministry.
Looking ahead, Pope Leo XIV emphasized that rapid societal changes demand renewed pastoral urgency.
“Our era is marked by rapid changes which make it necessary… to give particular pastoral attention to families,” he said, noting that in many contexts, the Church’s witness depends significantly on lay faithful, especially within the family.
The planned October gathering in Rome is expected to serve as a significant moment of global ecclesial reflection, reinforcing the Church’s commitment to accompany families and to proclaim the Gospel in ways that are both faithful to tradition and responsive to contemporary realities.
