Pope Francis has written a letter to families which can be viewed and heard by clicking here.

The Pope explains that in October of this year, an extraordinary general assembly of the synod of bishops will meet at the Vatican to discuss "Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization." The Church is called to proclaim the Gospel: This synod is dedicated especially to all of us, as we face the challenges of married life, family life, the education of children, and the role of the family in the life of the Church. The Holy Father asks that we all pray intensely for the outcomes of this meeting of the bishops as they try to address these all important issues.

This meeting will be followed by the World Meeting of Families due to take place in Philadelphia, PA in September 2015. Let us all pray together that the Church practices true discernment in addressing these issues in the coming weeks and months ahead.