RELATIONS WITH THE DICASTERY FOR LAITY, FAMILY AND LIFE
May 21–22, 2026
Annual meeting with moderators of international associations of the faithful, ecclesial movements, and new communities
115 representatives from various associations—including a representative from VMI—participated in the meeting, which was themed:
"Serving, accompanying, guiding: Fundamentals and practices of governance within associations."
Addressing the moderators, the Pope explained that governing in the Church means "taking the helm" to guide communities along a secure path of growth and flourishing for their members.
He also highlighted several elements that should accompany the exercise of authority within movements: mutual listening, co-responsibility, transparency, fraternal closeness, and communal discernment.
Another point emphasized by the Holy Father was the need to remain faithful to the founding charism without closing oneself off to the current challenges facing the Church and the world. Belonging to a community or movement truly bears fruit when it transcends the confines of internal activities and opens itself to the pastoral and missionary urgencies of the entire Church.
Pope Francis warned against the risk of isolation: "We often encounter groups that turn in on themselves, believing their specific reality to be the only valid one, or thinking that *they* are the Church; yet the Church is all of us—and so much more."
June 10, 2026
Study Day: "A Bridge to Heaven: The Magisterium of Fragility in an Age of Strength"
This study day, attended in Rome by a VMI representative, was also organized online by the Dicastery.
The central message of the gathering was to present old age not merely as a stage of life requiring care and support, but as a time possessing its own theological, ecclesial, and social value. Numerous presentations highlighted that contemporary culture prizes strength, physical fitness, and productivity—often with the effect of marginalize the elderly. Yet, the experience of frailty and dependence on others is an integral part of human life and can be a source of special grace.
Throughout the proceedings, it was emphasized that the primary objective was to engage in a profound theological reflection on old age as a stage of life possessing its own significance within salvation history and the life of the Church.
Many speakers stressed that the Church must not only develop pastoral care for the elderly but also formulate a theology of old age, thereby fostering a better understanding of the role of older people within the community of believers.
August 2026
Interview with Vittorio Scelzo, head of the Pastoral Care for the Elderly at the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
By Lorena Leonardi – Vatican City
September 29, 2026
A VMI representative participated in an online meeting organized by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life on the theme of pastoral care for the elderly: models, best practices, and contexts.