Listening session gathers reflections on family life in the Church
Participants take time for prayer and discussion on family life in the Church during a “Listening Session for Parents” held on Aug. 31 at the Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Catholic Center in Indianapolis. (Photo by Sean Gallagher)
By Sean Gallagher
On March 19, 2016, Pope Francis issued his apostolic exhortation, “Amoris Laetitiae” (“The Joy of Love”) that was the result of a meeting of the Synod of Bishops on married life in the Church.
In it, he explored contemporary challenges facing families, the pastoral care that families need from the Church and how families can contribute to the Church carrying out its mission of evangelization.
A meeting at the Vatican will be held on Oct. 7-14 to mark the 10th anniversary of the issuing of “Amoris Laetitiae.” Heads of bishops’ conferences from around the world, as well as leaders of Eastern Catholic Churches, will discuss ministries to families taking place in dioceses that seek to carry out the message of the apostolic exhortation and what further steps are needed to continue to implement it.
In advance of the meeting, Pope Leo XIV asked Church leaders from around the world to gather members of the faithful to discuss family life in the Church and to then send to the Vatican a summary of those meetings.
To that end, more than 80 Catholics from dozens of parishes across central and southern Indiana took part in a “Listening Session for Parents” on Aug. 31, which was open to both English- and Spanish-speaking parishioners. Most participated in person at the Archbishop Edward T. O’Meara Catholic Center in Indianapolis. Others joined in the meeting online. Input was also received from the Myanmar, Korean and Haitian communities.
The discussions, held largely among four people sitting at tables, were structured according to the “conversations in the Spirit” model that was used in the meetings at the Vatican on synodality of the Synod of Bishops in 2023 and 2024. It begins with prayer, allows all present to share their views on important questions and topics and fosters a faith-filled discussion among participants.
After the table discussions were completed, summaries of some of them were shared with all in attendance at the meeting.
Felix Navarette, director of the archdiocesan Office of Intercultural Ministry, spoke about the discussion among Hispanic and Latino Catholics at the listening session.
“They emphasized the importance and power of prayer among different communities,” he said. “It’s been an important part of living in community and uniting people as the body of Christ.”
Navarette also noted in his summary that many had highlighted the “importance of catechesis and evangelization in different stages of life,” and the need for parishes “to provide formation for marriages, youths and young adults” so as “to attract young adults to fall in love with God.”
Gabriela Ross, director of the archdiocesan Office of Marriage and Family Life, reported a summary of the discussion that took place among online participants.
“They talked about the witness of their lives and the impact that it has on those around them, both as individuals within a family and collectively as a family,” she said. “Collectively as a group, they shared a statement that ‘We have hope and are encouraged that, by living our faith daily, we will be able to spread the light of Christ. We have hope that we are making an impact on others and are enabling parishioners to reach others in our community, in the parish, our families and at all ages and seasons of life.’ ”
Anita Bardo, archdiocesan coordinator of evangelization and discipleship, summarized the discussions of other in-person participants, noting that they recognized the importance of having “more formation for couples prior to marriage” in order for them “to know that God is the center of their lives.”
Bardo added that the participants noted the power of families living out their faith together.
“When families see others going to Mass together as a family, they are motivated to want to do the same thing,” she said. “When they see that, it opens up a whole new idea that they can do the same thing when they see positivity in families.”
Archbishop Charles C. Thompson spoke at the end of the listening session, praising the participants for their “passion for your faith, for family and for all that we’re about as Church.
“The family is the domestic Church,” he said. “It’s where we live, where the Church is to be lived. The first school of learning is the family. It’s the fabric of society, and marriage is the foundation of family. That’s why all of this is so very, very important. If we can’t dialogue, communicate and listen and [show] respect in families, then how are we going to do that in the world?
“In a very polarized world today, we need that witness of families. No person, no family, is an island. We need each other.”
Matt and Julie Miller took part in the listening session. The parents of five children and members of St. Luke the Evangelist Parish in Indianapolis, they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in June.
“We really found people who were passionate about family life and encouraging families to be models for others and to follow the example of the Holy Family,” said Matt of the listening session. “I found it to be really encouraging overall.”
Julie appreciated how others at the meeting recognized “the importance of family, prayer and sticking with it to pass on the faith.
“It’s encouraging to see other people come and take a Monday evening to speak about this and to say it’s important,” she added. “We need this and to be held accountable. We want to grow as a family.” †
