In a significant call to renew the Church’s mission to families, Pope Leo XIV has summoned the presidents of bishops’ conferences from around the world to gather in Rome in October 2026 for a time of reflection and discernment.
The announcement, made on March 19, marks the 10th anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, the landmark apostolic exhortation issued by Pope Francis in 2016 following the Synods on the Family. The document, centered on love in marriage and family life, continues to guide the Church’s pastoral approach to families today.
In his message, the Holy Father described Amoris Laetitia as a “luminous message of hope,” emphasizing that rapid cultural and social changes make renewed pastoral care for families more urgent than ever. He stressed that families are not only recipients of care but active participants in the Church’s mission to proclaim the Gospel.
The upcoming gathering will focus on “synodal discernment,” encouraging bishops to listen, reflect, and identify concrete steps to strengthen the Church’s outreach to married couples, young people, and families in diverse situations. The Pope highlighted that the vocation to marriage must be presented as a beautiful and life-giving path rooted in Christ.
Entrusting this journey to the intercession of St. Joseph, Pope Leo XIV called the Church to deepen its commitment to families, so that in every home, the light of the Gospel may shine with renewed hope, love, and faith.