Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis has offered a timely word of encouragement and hope to Catholic families.
He wrote a pastoral letter, titled “Only One Thing Is Necessary: How Catholic Families Can Strive to Be United in This Life and the Next,” for the 10th anniversary of his installation as archbishop (on the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima). The letter draws deeply from Scripture, the lives of the saints, and the realities of modern family life.
While acknowledging significant cultural pressures — declining religious practice, family fragmentation, screens, anxiety, and distractions — Archbishop Hebda points families toward Christ as the source of true unity and peace.
Here are three great reminders from the letter that can help foster a more peaceful home life.
1. Only one thing is necessary — make Jesus the center
Echoing Jesus’ words to the anxious Martha (Lk 10:42), Archbishop Hebda reminds families that “only one thing is necessary” — a living relationship with Christ. Everything else flows from this central focus. When Jesus is the absolute center of family life, parents can love their children with His sacrificial, truthful, and merciful love.
This reminder brings peace by freeing families from the tyranny of endless busyness and worldly expectations. Holiness is possible in “ordinary” life, as modeled by Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, whose relatable witness of fidelity amid suffering and loss produced extraordinary fruit (all five surviving children entered religious life). Families are invited to prioritize prayer, the sacraments, and simple daily practices that keep hearts turned toward the Lord.
2. The narrow path leads to life but requires vigilance
Archbishop Hebda speaks honestly about the “urgent challenge” families face today, particularly with various personality traits. The world builds up with distractions, materialism, technology overuse, loneliness, and moral confusion. He recalls Pope Saint John Paul II seeing clearly that “the future of humanity passes by way of the family.” For encouragement, Archbishop Hebda references the Parable of the Sower (Mt 13), highlighting how the “thorns” of worldly cares can choke the seed of God’s Word.
The great reminder here is hopeful: the narrow gate that leads to life (Mt 7:13-14) is accessible through God’s grace. Peace comes not from escaping challenges but from traveling the path together with eyes fixed on heaven. This path means exercising vigilance over screens and media, cultivating silence and real conversation, limiting distractions, and choosing the “rich soil” where faith can take deep root. Families who walk this path together experience deeper connection and resilience.
3. You are not alone — the Church journeys with you
One of the most comforting reminders in the letter is that families do not have to go it alone. The Church stands ready as a partner, supporting parents as the first teachers of the faith. Archbishop Hebda outlines concrete ways parishes, schools, and the archdiocese can accompany families through small groups, parenting resources, youth ministry, retreats, and special support for those with children who have wandered from the faith (invoking St. Monica).
This ecclesial solidarity brings profound peace. Drawing on the witness of holy families and the intercession of the saints, the archbishop encourages perseverance with an eternal perspective. Even in hardship, God’s grace is superabundant, and families can be united not only in this life but forever in the next.
Archbishop Hebda’s letter is ultimately an invitation to hope. In a world that often pulls families in many directions, these reminders direct hearts to what truly matters. By centering on Christ, walking the narrow path intentionally, and leaning on the Church’s support, families can cultivate the peace that comes from living as if “only one thing is necessary.”
Catholic families everywhere — not only in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis — will find wisdom and encouragement in this pastoral letter. It's available in English and Spanish, as well as a pdf, an audio version, and a booklet. Download and read “Only One Thing Is Necessary” to reflect on it together as a family or in small groups. In doing so, may your home become a place of deeper unity, joy, and peace in Christ.
