Cardinal Reina calls on Rome's parishes to evangelize amid family breakdown, housing crisis (Vatican News)

Cardinal Baldassare Reina is urging parishes in Rome to reach out to Catholics who no longer attend church. During an interview on September 17, the vicar general for the Diocese of Rome and archpriest of the Lateran Basilica said priests should pay close attention to those who have left the faith or stopped visiting parishes. He noted that many pastoral communities focus too much on regular attendees rather than following the missionary mandate to reach everyone.

Cardinal Reina also addressed social challenges affecting the city, including family breakdown, drug addiction, and homelessness. He stated that housing poverty is worsening because market forces are pushing prices higher than average salaries can cover. He noted that single-income households often cannot afford to pay rent due to these rising costs.