Pope urges new ways for church outreach towards distant families

The Catholic Church is being urged to find new ways to connect with families who feel distant from the church, according to Pope Leo XIV. In a message addressed to 40 theologians and pastoral ministers at a seminar on evangelizing with families, the pope emphasized the importance of helping people discover love and meaning through Jesus.

Pope Leo XIV expressed concern that Christian life has often been portrayed as a set of rules rather than an encounter with Jesus. He stated, "How often, even in the not too distant past, have we forgotten this truth and presented Christian life mostly as a set of rules to be kept."

The seminar, organized by the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life at its Vatican office on June 2-3, followed the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly. The theme was “Evangelizing with the Families of Today and Tomorrow: Ecclesiological and Pastoral Challenges.”

Addressing participants at St. Peter’s Square during Mass on June 1 as part of the Jubilee celebration, Pope Leo XIV highlighted that "the church’s maternal concern for Christian families throughout the world" is crucial for transmitting faith to new generations.

The pope noted that while church attendance is declining in many areas, there is an increasing search for spirituality among young people seeking authentic relationships. He said it is vital for the Christian community "to be farsighted in discerning the challenges of today’s world."

Pope Leo also pointed out that special attention should be given to families who feel spiritually distant or excluded but wish to belong to a community. He asked rhetorically how many people do not hear God’s invitation due to "an increasingly widespread ‘privatization’ of faith."

He called upon Catholics to reach out as "fishers" aiming to save humanity through encounters with Christ. He cited young people's preference for cohabitation over marriage as an example where guidance could demonstrate "the beauty and grandeur of the vocation to love."

For effective outreach efforts towards distant families, Pope Leo advised patience and creativity without offering quick solutions but rather engaging in dialogue. “It is not a matter of giving hasty answers,” he said.

Bishops are tasked primarily with becoming 'fishers of families,' yet all Catholics share this duty due to their baptismal roles as priests, kings, prophets—and living stones within God's house.