In a powerful message to educators and theologians, Pope Leo XIV renewed the Church’s call to strengthen the vocation of the family as the foundation of both faith and society.
Speaking to faculty and students of the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family, the Holy Father stressed that believers are called “everywhere and always … to sustain, defend, and promote the family,” urging Catholics to live this mission “through a way of life coherent with the Gospel,” according to Vatican News.
The family as the measure of society
Pope Leo XIV reminded those present that the vitality of a nation is revealed in how it treats its families. “The quality of a country’s social and political life,” he said, “is measured particularly by how it allows families to live well, to have time for themselves, and to cultivate the bonds that keep them united” (Vatican News, Deborah Castellano Lubov).
He warned that today’s culture often prizes “productivity and speed at the expense of relationships,” and called for a renewal of “time and space to the love that is learned in the family.”
Restoring dignity to motherhood and fatherhood
The Pope drew attention to women who experience pregnancy “in conditions of solitude or marginalization,” saying both civil and ecclesial communities must “commit themselves with constancy to restore to motherhood its full dignity.” He emphasized that “human life is a gift and must always be welcomed with respect, care, and gratitude.”
Pope Leo XIV called for “policies that guarantee adequate living and working conditions; formative and cultural initiatives that recognize the beauty of generating together; and pastoral care that accompanies women and men with closeness and listening.” In his words, “Motherhood and fatherhood … are by no means burdens weighing upon society, but rather a hope that strengthens and renews it,” according to Vatican News.
The family and Catholic social teaching
Reflecting on Catholic social doctrine, the Pope encouraged scholars to deepen “the link between the family and the Church’s social doctrine.” He described the family as “the first cell of society, the original and fundamental school of humanity,” echoing the teaching of the Second Vatican Council.
The Church’s pastoral mission to young people
Acknowledging that many young people today “do not appreciate or even reject marriage,” Pope Leo XIV urged theologians to accompany them with compassion and prayer. “Even when young people make choices that do not correspond to the paths proposed by the Church,” he said, “the Lord continues to knock at the door of their hearts.”
He added that if pastoral work is “rooted in prayerful dialogue with the Lord,” it can “find the courage to discover new words capable of touching deeply the consciences of the young.”
Listening, prayer, and hope
The Pope also encouraged a spirit of listening within Catholic education, especially in “an international university,” where mutual discernment “in the service of marriage and the family” can enrich all.
He closed with a message of confidence: “Begin the new academic year with hope, certain that the Lord Jesus always sustains us with the grace of his Spirit of truth and life,” he said, according to Vatican News.
A global institute rooted in the Church’s mission
Founded by Pope Francis in 2017, the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family continues the work begun by Saint John Paul II in 1982. With branches in countries including the United States, Mexico, Spain, Brazil, Benin, India, Lebanon, and the Philippines, the institute trains leaders who will uphold the sacred vocation of marriage and family life across cultures.
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