Opening the third plenary assembly of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, Cardinal Kevin Farrell emphasised the need for “basic formation” in the Christian life among lay people.
The assembly took place at the Jesuit General Curia in Rome from 4-6 February 2026.
Noting what he characterised as “the alarming increase in the number of people who do not know Jesus Christ at all,” Cardinal Farrell called for a “formation of the heart”, which involves the whole life: at the origin of Christian life there is an encounter with the person of Jesus Christ, who first changes the heart, then our mindset, and eventually transforms daily conduct and all of life.
He stressed that the solution to the challenges facing the Church is not to change structures or the principles of Catholic doctrine or morality. Such changes, he said, will not “bring people back to Mass,” increase vocations, or draw young people back to the Church.
Instead, every local Church, diocese, and parish must offer, on a permanent basis, “paths of evangelisation, catechesis, initial proclamation of the faith, Christian initiation, formation in the faith, and accompaniment in spiritual growth,” he proposed.
He recalled that Pope Leo, in his Apostolic Letter Drawing New Maps of Hope, affirmed that Christian formation must embrace “the entire person: spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social, and physical,” and he encouraged lively, kerygmatic catechesis, introduction to sacramental life, liturgical celebrations, prayer life, examination of life in the light of Scripture, dialogue, experiences of fraternity, service, charity, and missionary activity.
A key element of this formation, he said, is the synergistic collaboration of all ecclesial components — pastors, lay people, families, single people, consecrated persons, lay associations and movements, youth groups, parish structures and programmes, even online formation and “web apostles.”
Cardinal Farrell also insisted on the particular need for Christian formation and accompaniment of families and spouses, explaining that listening to Bishops during ad limina visits, and other interlocutors of the Dicastery, revealed a strong need to provide families with opportunities for formation in married spirituality, married life, family prayer, and the transmission of faith to children.
Summarising the formation goals of the Dicastery, Cardinal Farrell said that in many ecclesial environments faith is not being generated in people, but rather is often taken for granted. Christian formation must therefore generate faith and lead people into “a living relationship with God and with Christ,” fostering a mature Christian life in the Church.”
He emphasised the need for Episcopal Conferences to genuinely commit themselves to formation, and to identify fundamental criteria that can be used to develop guidelines for Christian formation that local Churches can adopt in their pastoral contexts.
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Cardinal Farrell: Local Church must help lay people with basic formation (Vatican News)
Cardinal Farrell: Introductory remarks (Dicastery for Laity Family and Life)