Vatican City: The Vatican has published a Preparatory Document for a major meeting on family life that will take place in October 2026, marking ten years since the publication of Amoris Laetitia, the Apostolic Exhortation of the late Pope Francis on love, marriage and family life.
The document, known as the Thematic framework, was jointly published by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and the General Secretariat of the Synod. It will guide preparations for the meeting called by Pope Leo XIV, which is scheduled to take place at the Vatican from October 7 to 14, 2026.
The gathering will bring together the Heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences from around the world. Several families will also participate and share their personal experiences of marriage and family life.
The Preparatory Document has been sent to the Heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris and the Presidents of Episcopal Conferences. The Vatican has also made it available to the public in several languages.
Pope Leo XIV first announced the October meeting in a message issued on March 19, 2026, the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia. The Pope said that families are facing deep changes and new challenges and that the Church must listen carefully before deciding how best to respond.
He called for a process of mutual listening and synodal discernment to identify the steps needed to proclaim the Gospel to families today. The process will be guided by Amoris Laetitia while also considering the pastoral work already taking place in local Churches around the world.
Pope Leo again spoke about the importance of family life at the conclusion of the extraordinary Consistory on June 27. He said that when families receive support and accompaniment, they become places where people learn relationships, solidarity and hope. However, when families are wounded or left alone, the effects are felt throughout society.
The October gathering is expected to provide a space where Church leaders can listen to families, exchange experiences and reflect on practical pastoral initiatives. Bishops and other participants will also have opportunities to speak with experts and discuss the realities facing families in different social and cultural settings.
After returning to their local Churches, participants will be encouraged to work closely with families to renew pastoral efforts in support of marriage, family life and the dignity of human life.
The Vatican document stresses that families should not be seen only as people who receive pastoral care from the Church. Instead, they should also be recognised as active participants in the mission of the Church. According to the document, the Gospel becomes visible through the daily relationships, decisions, struggles and hopes experienced within family life.
In the months before the October meeting, Episcopal Conferences and Eastern Catholic Churches are being asked to study the proposed themes and listen carefully to families in their own communities. This local consultation is expected to help Church leaders bring real experiences and concerns to the discussions in Rome.
Although the October gathering is not formally an Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, it will follow a synodal style based on listening, prayer and discernment. Pope Leo XIV has linked the meeting to the wider process of putting synodality into practice in the life and mission of the Church.
The Preparatory Document proposes five main areas for reflection. The first focuses on the reality, beauty and challenges of family life today. Participants will examine changes affecting families and consider how the Church can respond through pastoral care.
The second area looks at young people and their discovery of the vocation to marriage. The Church hopes to listen more closely to young people and find better ways of helping them understand the meaning and value of marriage.
The third theme focuses on married life, particularly the first years of marriage, which the document describes as a decisive period. Discussions will consider how the Church can accompany couples during the early stages of married life and continue supporting them throughout different stages of life.
The fourth area concerns families facing difficulties and complex situations. It calls on the Church to walk with families experiencing hardship and provide meaningful support and accompaniment.
The fifth theme considers Christian families as active participants in the mission of the Church. It encourages families to see married and family love as a source of strength for sharing the Gospel and serving society.
The October meeting is expected to place the real experiences of families at the centre of the Church's reflection. Through dialogue between Church leaders, families and experts, the Vatican hopes the gathering will help develop a stronger and more practical pastoral response to the changing realities of marriage and family life.
The initiative also reflects Pope Leo XIV's emphasis on listening and shared discernment. Ten years after Amoris Laetitia, the meeting will examine how its message has been received and how the Church can continue accompanying families with understanding, compassion and hope in the years ahead.