Pope Leo XIV urged about 150 bishops to find new ways to support modern families. Their Vatican meeting runs through October 14 and marks 10 years since Pope Francis issued his document on love in the family.
The participants are discussing Catholic teaching on family life. CNN Brasil, citing Reuters, reported that the Church’s treatment of LGBTQ people and Catholics who have divorced and remarried could come up, although neither subject is formally on the agenda. Leo asked God to give participants the freedom to listen to one another, the wisdom to recognize his work among believers and the courage to follow where he leads.
The pope convened the presidents of bishops’ conferences and leaders of Eastern Churches for the 10th anniversary of Francis’ 2016 apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, or “The Joy of Love.” The document called on the Church to show greater compassion toward Catholics whose family circumstances do not conform to Church norms.
CNN Brasil described current Church teaching as barring divorced Catholics who remarry from Communion unless they abstain from sexual relations with their new spouse, because the first marriage remains valid. In a footnote to his document, Francis allowed that some such Catholics could receive “the help of the sacraments,” but he did not establish a universal procedure for the Church. Leo did not address the question directly. He said the Church must recognize grace even in situations marked by limits, wounds and apparent failure.
Bishops from more than 115 countries are attending, including two from China. A 2018 agreement between Beijing and the Vatican on Catholic bishop appointments followed decades of tension over the issue. Eleven lay married couples are also taking part and are expected to share their experiences.