Pope Leo XIV Warns "we are witnessing a growing erosion of religious practice" and says We Need a "U-turn"

MEETING WITH THE CLERGY OF THE DIOCESE OF ROME
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
Paul VI Hall on Thursday, February 19, 2026
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In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
Peace be with you,

[ Greeting address of the Cardinal Vicar ]

Dear brothers ,

I greet you with great joy and thank you for being here this morning. I thank the Cardinal Vicar for his kind words, and I cordially greet all of you: the members of the Episcopal Council, the parish priests, and all the priests present. And I say, if it's true that we are at the beginning of this Lenten journey, this is not an act of penance: it is, at least for me, a great joy! And I say this sincerely!

At the beginning of the pastoral year we were inspired by what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well: "If you knew the gift of God" ( Jn 4:10).

The gift, as we know, is also an invitation to live a creative responsibility. We are not simply inserted into the river of tradition as passive executors of a pre-defined pastoral program, but, on the contrary, with our creativity and our charisms, we are called to collaborate in God's work. In this regard, the words that the Apostle Paul addresses to Timothy are enlightening: "I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is in you" ( 2 Tim 1:6). These words are addressed not only to the individual but also to the community, and today we can hear them addressed to us: Church of Rome, remember to rekindle the gift of God!

What does it mean to rekindle? Paul addresses this exhortation to a community that has somehow lost the freshness of its origins and its pastoral impetus; with the changing context and the passing of time, a certain weariness, some disappointment or frustration, a certain spiritual and moral decay can be seen. And so the Apostle says to Timothy and to that community: remember to rekindle the gift you have received. This verb used by Paul – to rekindle – evokes the image of the embers beneath the ashes and, as Pope Francis said , "suggests the image of someone who blows on the fire to rekindle its flame" ( Catechesis , 30 October 2024).

Even for the pastoral journey of our Diocese we can say: the fire is lit, but it must always be rekindled .

The burning fire is the irrevocable gift the Lord has given us; it is the Spirit who has traced the path of our Church, the history and tradition we have received, and what we ordinarily carry forward in our communities. At the same time, we must humbly admit that the flame of this fire does not always retain the same vitality and needs to be rekindled. Pressed by the rapid cultural changes and the environments in which our mission unfolds, sometimes assailed by fatigue and the burden of routine, or discouraged by a growing disaffection with faith and religious practice, we feel the need for this fire to be nourished and rekindled.

This is particularly true for some areas of pastoral life, which I would like to briefly mention.

The first certainly concerns the ordinary pastoral care of parishes . And here, first of all, I would like to share a thought of gratitude, recalling the words Pope Francis addressed to you in one of the last Chrism Masses: "Thank you for your service; thank you for all the hidden good you do […]; thank you for your ministry, which often takes place amid so much hardship, misunderstanding, and little recognition" ( Homily at the Chrism Mass , April 6, 2023). Hardships and misunderstandings, however, can also be an opportunity for reflection on the pastoral challenges we face. In particular, regarding the relationship between Christian initiation and evangelization, we need a clear U-turn; in fact, ordinary pastoral care is structured according to a classical model that is primarily concerned with ensuring the administration of the Sacraments, but such a model presupposes that faith is also somehow transmitted by the surrounding environment, by society as well as by the family environment. In reality, the cultural and anthropological changes that have occurred in recent decades tell us that this is no longer the case; on the contrary, we are witnessing a growing erosion of religious practice.

It is therefore urgent to return to proclaiming the Gospel: this is the priority. With humility, but also without being discouraged,We must recognize that "part of our baptized people does not experience their belonging to the Church," and this also invites us to be vigilant against a "sacramentalization without other forms of evangelization" ( Evangelii Gaudium , 63). Let us recall the questions of the Apostle Paul: "How can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to proclaim him?" ( Rom 10:14). Like all large urban agglomerations, the city of Rome is marked by permanent mobility, by a new way of inhabiting the territory and experiencing time, by relational and family fabrics that are increasingly plural and at times frayed. Therefore, parish ministry must refocus on proclamation, seeking ways and means to help people reconnect with Jesus' promise. In this context, Christian initiation, often dictated by school curriculum, needs to be revisited: we need to explore new ways of transmitting the faith, even beyond traditional paths, to engage children, young people, and families in new ways.

A second aspect is this: learning to work together, in communion . To give primacy to evangelization in all its many forms, we cannot think and act alone. In the past, the parish was more firmly tied to the local area, and all who lived there belonged to it; today, however, lifestyles and models have shifted from stability to mobility, and many people, not only for work, but also for various experiences, also living relationships beyond their territorial and cultural boundaries. The parish alone is not sufficient to initiate a process of evangelization capable of reaching those unable to participate adequately. In a large territory like Rome, we must overcome the temptation to self-absorption, which generates overwork and dispersion, to work increasingly together, especially between neighboring parishes, sharing charisms and potential, planning together, and avoiding overlapping initiatives. Greater coordination is needed which, far from being a pastoral expedient, aims to express our presbyteral communion.

One last aspect I would like to emphasize: closeness to young people . Many of them—we know—"live without any reference to God and the Church" ( Address to participants in the Plenary Session of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith , 29 January 2026). It is therefore a matter of grasping and interpreting the profound existential unease that inhabits them, their confusion, their many difficulties, as well as the phenomena affecting them in the virtual world and the symptoms of a worrying aggressiveness, which at times leads to violence. I know you are aware of this reality and are committed to addressing it. We do not have easy solutions that guarantee immediate results, but, to the extent possible, we can remain attentive to young people, be present, welcome them, and share a little of their lives. At the same time, since these issues affect various aspects of life, we also seek, as parishes, to dialogue and interact with local institutions, schools, specialists in education and the humanities, and all those who care about the fate and future of our children.

And speaking of youth, I would like to offer a word of encouragement to younger priests—almost all of you, right?—who often experience firsthand the potential and struggles of their generation and this era. In a more difficult and less rewarding social and ecclesial context, one can run the risk of quickly exhausting one's energy, accumulating frustration, and falling into loneliness. I urge you to be faithful daily in your relationship with the Lord and to work with enthusiasm, even if you don't yet see the fruits of your apostolate. Above all, I invite you to never withdraw into yourselves: don't be afraid to discuss yourselves, even your own fatigue and crises, especially with the brothers you believe can help you. Of course, all of us are required to have an attitude of listening and attentiveness, through which we can concretely live out our priestly fraternity. Let us accompany and support one another.

Dearest ones, I am happy to have shared this moment with you. As I recently recalled, our first commitment is to " preserve and foster our vocation through a constant journey of conversion and renewed fidelity, which is never a merely individual journey but rather commits us to caring for one another" (Apostolic Letter, A Fidelity That Generates a Future , 13). In this way, we will be pastors after God's heart and will be able to best serve our diocese of Rome. Thank you!