Cardinal Farrell, at Amoris Laetitia meeting, encourages focus on transmission of faith within families

October 09, 2026

In his opening greeting at the extraordinary Vatican meeting devoted to Amoris Laetitia, Cardinal Kevin Farrell encouraged the presidents of the world’s episcopal conferences and heads of Eastern Catholic churches to consider the breakdown of the transmission of faith within families.

Speaking in English, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life said on the afternoon of October 7 that “catechesis, essential to Christian formation, remains indispensable, but in many contexts it cannot, on its own, sustain the transmission of the faith and the development of a personal relationship with God among the younger generations.”

“Indeed, we cannot take for granted the family and social environment that in the past contributed, almost naturally, to preserving Christian life within the family,” Cardinal Farrell continued. “Building strong and authentically Christian families is the prerequisite for having, in the near future, a Church that is alive and firmly rooted in the Gospel. This is the responsibility we feel entrusted to our pastoral care and which we wish to fulfill with renewed commitment.”

Cardinal Farrell’s address followed a brief welcome by Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of General Secretariat of the Synod, and preceded Pope Leo XIV’s opening address to the assembled prelates.

 

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Further information:

• Cardinal Farrell: Greeting Address to the Holy Father Leo XIV (AmorisLaetitia.va, 10/7/26)
• Cardinal Grech: Welcome address (AmorisLaetitia.va, 10/7/26)
• Pope opens extraordinary meeting on Amoris Laetitia, calls on prelates to speak with ‘evangelical freedom’ (CWN, 10/8/26)