Pope Leo outlines his vision of Christian formation
February 07, 2026
Pope Leo XIV reflected at length on Christian formation in an address to the plenary assembly of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
The theme of the assembly was “‘Until Christ be formed in you’ (Gal 4:19): The formation of the laity in Christian life and the experience of World Meetings.” In his address to assembly participants, which took place on February 6 in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo focused on the topic of Christian formation, rather than on world meetings.
Formation akin to generating children
Reflecting on Galatians 4:19—“My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you”—Pope Leo said:
Formation is thus placed in the context of “generation,” of “giving life,” of “giving birth,” in a dynamic that, even with pain, leads the disciple to vital union with the very person of the Saviour, living and working in him or her, capable of transforming “living in the flesh” (cf. Rom 7:5) into “the life of Christ in us” (cf. 2 Cor 13:5; Gal 2:20).
“It is true that in the Church, at times, the figure of the formator as ‘pedagogue,’ engaged in transmitting instructions and religious competences, has prevailed over that of the ‘father’ capable of generating faith,” the Pope continued. “Our mission, however, is much loftier, and so we cannot stop at transmitting a doctrine, an observance, an ethic, but rather we are called to share what we live, with generosity, sincere love for souls, willingness to suffer for others, and unreserved dedication, like parents who sacrifice themselves for the good of their children.”
Formation, Pope Leo added, has a communal dimension:
As indeed human life is transmitted thanks to the love of a man and a woman, so Christian life is conveyed through the love of a community. It is not the priest by himself, or a catechist, or a charismatic leader who generates faith, but the Church, the united, living Church, made up of families, young people, celibates, consecrated persons, inspired by charity and therefore eager to be fruitful, to transmit to everyone and above all to the new generations, the joy and fullness of meaning that it lives and experiences.
The desire in parents to give life to their children does not arise from the need to have something, but the wish to give, to share the superabundance of love and joy that dwells in them, and it is here that every work of formation also has its roots.
Other foundational elements
Turning to Christ’s missionary mandate to the Apostles—“make disciples of all nations”, “baptizing them” and “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded to you” (Mt 28:19-20)—Pope Leo said that these words “summarize other fundamental elements of the mission of the formator”:
- “the need to foster consistent, engaging, and personal paths of life that lead to Baptism and the sacraments, or to their rediscovery, because without them there is no Christian life”
- “the importance of helping those who embark on a journey of faith to mature and preserve a new way of life that embraces every area of existence, both private and public, such as work, relationships, and daily conduct”
- “it is essential to nurture, in our communities, aspects of formation aimed at respect for human life in all its stages, particularly those that contribute to preventing every form of abuse of minors and vulnerable persons, as well as accompanying and supporting victims”
“As we can see, the art of forming is not easy, and cannot be improvised: it requires patience, listening, accompaniment and verification, both on a personal and a community level, and cannot be separated from the experience and company of those who have lived it, in order to learn and follow their example,” the Pope observed. “Thus, over the centuries, spiritual giants such as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Philip Neri, Saint Joseph Calasanz, Saint Gaspar del Bufalo, and Saint John Leonardi have emerged.”
“It was with this in mind that Saint Augustine, shortly after being elected bishop, composed his treatise De catechizandis rudibus, whose guidelines remain useful and valuable to this day,” he added.
The Pontiff concluded:
The challenges you confront can at times seem beyond your strength and resources. However, you must not be discouraged. Start small, following, in faith, the Gospel logic of the “mustard seed” (cf. Mt 13: 31-32), confident that the Lord will never fail to provide you with the necessary energy, people, and graces at the right time. Look to Mary: by giving us Christ, she “wrought together by charity, that faithful ones should be born in the Church, who are members of that Head” (Saint Augustine, De sancta virginitate 6, 6). Imitate her faith and always entrust yourselves to her intercession.
Brothers and sisters, I reiterate my thanks, I promise to remember you in prayer, and I bless you from my heart.
Background
In discussing plenary assemblies of Vatican dicasteries, Praedicate Evangelium, the 2022 apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia, states that all of a dicastery’s members “are convoked for the plenary session. It is to be held every two years ... Matters and questions of greater importance are reserved for the plenary session, according to the nature of the Dicastery. It is convoked, as needed, to deal also with matters of general principle or others that the head of the Dicastery deems necessary to address in this manner” (n. 26).
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life lists 25 members, 15 of them laity, on its website.
Earlier in the plenary assembly, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the dicastery’s prefect since its inception in 2016, told the members of his dicastery:
Many today think that the solution to the problems of the Church is to change structures, or to change the principles of Catholic doctrine or morality. But this is a false solution. It will not be these “changes” that will bring people back to Mass, or cause vocations to flourish again, or bring young people back to the Church.
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