Catholic family ministry workers from across Thailand gathered in Nakhon Sawan from Oct. 9 to 11 to mark the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia and reflect on the Church’s pastoral care for families.
Bishop Paul Thawat Singsa of Nakhon Sawan presided over the opening Mass for the National Gathering of Family Pastoral Ministry Workers at St. Nicholas Church, about 230 kilometers north of Bangkok.
Organized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand Commission for the Family, the three-day gathering brought together diocesan coordinators and pastoral ministry teams under the theme “Journeying together, building the family as a domestic church.”
The gathering marked a decade since the publication of Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), Pope Francis’ 2016 apostolic exhortation on marriage and family life.
“The opening Mass was characterized by an atmosphere of warmth, sanctity, and unity, with pastoral coordinators, family ministry teams, and representatives of family pastoral workers from dioceses across the country attending in full force,” recalled Dr. Saowalak Leelawongsarote, a participant who traveled from Bangkok.
In his opening homily, Bishop Thawat reflected on the vocation of the family and described the “Domestic Church” as the primary place where love, faith and moral values are passed from one generation to another.
He also acknowledged pressures facing families, including economic difficulties and technological isolation, and urged pastoral workers to accompany Catholic families amid rapid social and cultural changes.
Prayer, daily Eucharistic celebrations and theological reflection formed part of the gathering, which included sessions on Amoris Laetitia and the canon law framework governing pastoral care for families.
Participants examined the relationship between Church doctrine, as outlined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law, and pastoral discernment.
The sessions discussed the responsibilities of pastors in marriage preparation and catechesis, as well as pastoral approaches to couples and families facing different circumstances, including single-parent and blended families and households under financial or emotional strain.
Participants also reflected on accompanying couples in irregular or civil unions without judgment and on recognizing families as places where Christian faith can be lived and nurtured.
The gathering in Thailand took place as Church leaders in Rome also marked the 10th anniversary of Amoris Laetitia.
On Oct. 8, Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão of Goa and Daman, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, addressed a Vatican gathering in Paul VI Hall marking the anniversary.
Ferrão called for a shift in approach, moving “from mission to families to mission among families.”
He stressed that as Asian households face smaller family sizes, interreligious marriages, cohabitation and migration, families should be regarded not only as recipients of pastoral care but also as partners in the Church’s mission.
At the close of the gathering, the family ministry flag was handed to representatives of the Diocese of Nakhon Ratchasima, which will host the next national assembly in two years.
“I am overjoyed and deeply happy to have had the opportunity to learn and share experiences at the 2026 Family Pastoral Workers’ Gathering, and to meet others working in the same field,” said Saowalak.
