Message for Mother’s Day 10 May 2026

His Eminence Frank Cardinal Leo Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

May Jesus and Mary be in your souls.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, we welcome this opportunity to pause and give thanks for the women who gave us life, nurtured us, and helped us become who we are. Mothers play a crucial role in our society and our Church. Religiously and spiritually, they contribute so very much to shape our Christian identity (cf. 2 Tim 1:5). We live in a pluralistic, multicultural and complex society where the Christian faith can no longer be assumed or simply inherited from the surrounding culture, where Christian ideals and truths are presented as one among many. In this setting the formation of Christian identity is of paramount importance (Rom. 12:2; Familiaris Consortio, 17).

The reality of who we are in Christ is multi-faceted, and at face value many mothers may feel helpless when faced with the onslaught of never-ending influences upon their children. To those mothers I want you to know and remember that long before your child encounters secular social media, harmful trends or ideologies, your child experiences your love, trust, forgiveness, and belonging within your family (Amoris Laetitia, 174). These early experiences shape the heart and imagination in ways that make faith intelligible later in life. When a child learns what love is through the patience of a mother, the words of the Scripture about God’s love begin to make sense (1 Jn 4:7-11). When a child experiences mercy and reconciliation at home, the message of Christ’s forgiveness is no longer abstract (Is 66:13).  (an excerpt