Pope hails LA Religious Education Congress as a time for true spiritual renewal
“By deepening your relationship with Jesus, who is the Truth, and continuing to be faithful and joyful disciples in your daily lives, your authenticity as educators and catechetical leaders will enable you to transmit the Gospel in such a way that it leads to a true encounter with the Lord and contributes to building up a lasting and life-giving culture…”
Pope Leo XIV expressed this in a message sent to the Archbishop of Los Angeles, José H. Gomez, on the occasion of the 70th Religious Education Congress taking place in Anaheim, California, February 19–22, 2026. The annual four-day Catholic gathering, which, this year, has the theme ‘Wrapped in Mercy, Hope Renewed,’ is sponsored by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ Office of Religious Education.
The Congress draws thousands of faithful, educators, and ministry leaders from around the U.S. and beyond to deepen their faith through workshops, liturgies, exhibits, keynote talks and spiritual celebrations. It began with a Youth Day for young people on Feb. 19 and adult programming continues through Feb. 22.