Bishops meet at the Vatican to ask why fewer young people are marrying

Catholic bishops from around the world are meeting at the Vatican from October 7 to 14, 2026, to address a trend that concerns the Church: the growing number of young people who choose to live together rather than marry. The meeting marks the 10th anniversary of the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia and brings together presidents of bishops' conferences to examine the reasons behind the decline in marriages, both civil and religious.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, opened the proceedings by warning that "we cannot ignore the fact that the number of marriages is declining throughout the world." Many Christian parents share that concern as they watch their children settle into solitude or into indecision about any lasting commitment. "Many of them categorically reject the path their parents embraced with joy," Farrell said.

Listening to young people's stories

Auxiliary Bishop Stephen Eustace Victor Fernandes of Bombay, India, called for closer attention to the specific experiences of young people. "The first task is to know their story: why have they chosen to live together? What do they hope for? What fears or obstacles stand in their way?" he asked. Fernandes said the Church must avoid both indifference and condemnation toward these couples, and he acknowledged that some cohabiting relationships can contain genuine love and elements of commitment, even if they lack the conditions needed for a mature marriage.

Doctrine and contemporary culture

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of Perth, Australia, pointed to the gap between Church teaching and prevailing cultural attitudes. "The concept of a necessary link between sexual activity and procreation, and the importance of this link in Christian marriage, is no longer widely understood or accepted," he said. Many young people, he added, have adopted assumptions about sexuality that differ radically from those of the Church, which creates a real tension between Church doctrine and mainstream currents in society.

Costelloe also said that many young people nonetheless want lasting relationships that allow them to give the best of themselves. "We are competing with many other proposals about the meaning of marriage," he said. He suggested that the witness of stable marriages can offer a concrete answer to those who hesitate before a long-term commitment.

Pastoral accompaniment and discernment

The meeting prompted discussion of how to provide pastoral accompaniment for couples who live together without marrying. Fernandes urged the bishops to "know their stories" and to discern whether these couples are really called to marriage. "Accompaniment must involve authentic discernment," he said, calling for a Church willing to listen to and understand these situations before making pronouncements.

The meeting also focused on forming young people in the virtues that sustain marriage, such as fidelity and responsibility. "We must speak of love as a gift, freedom as self-giving and marriage as a covenant that gives meaning to life," Fernandes said, arguing for a pastoral approach centered on love, compassion and patience.