Source: Office of Discipleship and Evangelization and Office for the Mission of Catholic Education
On the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, marking 10 years since his installation as Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Archbishop Bernard Hebda released his pastoral letter to families, Only One Thing Is Necessary.
“Family life is messy — even Jesus, Mary and Joseph lived amid the harsh realities of their own time,” Archbishop Hebda said. “But we can find encouragement, strength and hope in Jesus Christ and all he has left for us to prepare us for heaven.
“My sisters and brothers, the Church wants to walk with you and your families through life — through the struggles, the joys and everything in between. I hope my pastoral letter to families, ‘Only One Thing Is Necessary,’ will help every individual in this archdiocese see the great task at hand, what’s at stake, and how we can all strive to be united with our families and with each other, in this life and the next.”
The letter comes as the Archdiocese prepares for the second of a two-year focus on encouraging and equipping parents as primary educators of their children in the faith. The first year focused on Reclaiming Sundays as a day for the Lord and family. In the coming year, July 2026-June 2027, all the faithful will be encouraged to read Archbishop’s pastoral letter to families, then discuss and discern how each person–within every state of life–can support marriages and families. Read the letter, order a keepsake copy, listen to the podcast, and find a small group guide at archspm.org/familyletter.
