Pope Francis's final document on faith

In a document published on October 22 and titled Venite ad me ("Come to me"), the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith uses the image of the spread of light to illustrate the delicate mission of transmitting faith.

Document cites Christ's invitation

The document references the words of Christ: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Mt 11, 28). It was requested by Pope Francis shortly before his death and adopted by Pope Leo XIV, offering a reflection and concrete suggestions for evangelization "at the dawn of the new era we are undergoing."

Holy See criticizes secular trends

The Holy See condemns the "secularization" that has led to a "generalized individualism" and hindered the "transmission of faith." The Dicastery encourages and supports the transmission of faith, particularly within families and ecclesial communities.

Faith described as a light spreading

"The transmission of faith appears as a meeting in which Christ becomes close to each person, in the concrete reality of their life, offering them this true peace that can only be found in Him," the document states. The authors of Venite ad me compare the transmission of faith to the lighting of a flame by another.

Document draws on Saint Paul and Pope Francis

The document relies on the insights of Saint Paul: "We, who with unveiled faces reflect as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image" (2 Co 3, 18) and those of Pope Francis in his first encyclical Lumen fidei: "He who has opened himself to the love of God, who has listened to His voice and received His light, cannot keep this gift for himself."

Faith transmission compared to fire

"Faith is transmitted, as it were, by contact, from person to person, like a flame lighting another flame." "It is a light that reflects from face to face," explains the Dicastery. "The light of Jesus shines, as in a mirror, on the faces of Christians, and thus it spreads and reaches us, so that we too can participate in this vision and reflect this light on others."

Faith should be lived, not taught

For the Holy See, faith should not be transmitted as "a set of doctrinal contents or religious information," but rather as "a form of ecclesial life in which the believer is gradually introduced." In this context, the family constitutes "the first and most essential place of transmission of faith."

Parents as first teachers of faith

"Parents are called not only to generate children into life, but also to lead them to God," state the authors of Venite ad me. This point has also been reaffirmed by Pope Leo XIV during his Homily on the occasion of the Jubilee of Catechists on September 28, 2025: "The first catechists are our parents, those who spoke to us first and taught us to speak."

Concrete ways to pass on faith

Venite ad me outlines some very concrete ideas to implement in order to transmit faith to one's children: "personal and couple prayer, reading the Gospel, remembering the words and gestures of Jesus, the memory of patron saints, constant invocation of the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, participation in the Sunday Mass, visiting sanctuaries and various forms of popular piety, attention to the poor and the disadvantaged, as well as through grace before meals, the blessing of the Lord on the occasion of a family member's birthday, and the pious preparation of the Nativity scene on the occasion of Christmas."