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Pope Francis to make key marriage pronouncement Catholic Church: Pope Francis urges greater family understanding
(about 1 hour later)
Pope Francis is to make public the conclusions of his two Synods on the family in a document eagerly awaited by 1.3 billion Roman Catholics. Pope Francis has published new guidelines on family life that argue the Church should show more understanding of modern realities.
It will detail the pope's views about family life, marriage, contraception and bringing up children. The document, based on two Synods on the issue, was eagerly awaited by the world's 1.3bn Roman Catholics.
Many hope it will open the way for the Church to offer communion to the divorced and civilly remarried, something conservatives have resisted. Entitled "On Love in the Family", it does not change Catholic doctrine.
But it opens the way for bishops in each country to interpret doctrine to suit their own culture, the BBC's religion correspondent reports.
It details the Pope's views on family life, marriage, contraception and bringing up children.
The document is the culmination of three years' work by the Pope.The document is the culmination of three years' work by the Pope.
BBC religious affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt says that what is known as an Apostolic Exhortation is a wide-ranging document of more than 200 pages entitled The Joy of Love. The Pope had sent a questionnaire to families across the world asking them about their hopes and their fears.
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The Pope sent a questionnaire to families across the world asking them about their hopes and their fears.
Then he brought bishops and cardinals together for two Synods in Rome, at which he encouraged them to debate and even to disagree over issues that divide the Church in many countries.Then he brought bishops and cardinals together for two Synods in Rome, at which he encouraged them to debate and even to disagree over issues that divide the Church in many countries.
Among the most divisive issues are offering communion to the divorced and remarried, contraception and the treatment of gay Catholics.Among the most divisive issues are offering communion to the divorced and remarried, contraception and the treatment of gay Catholics.
Our correspondent says the lengthy document will show exactly where Pope Francis stands - with some already describing it as a papal bombshell - as he steps into the minefield of Catholic teaching on the family. Our correspondent says the lengthy document shows exactly where Pope Francis stands as he steps into the minefield of Catholic teaching on the family.
While conservatives do not want him to change doctrine, liberals hope he will tell the Church to show a more merciful attitude to those whose families do not conform to the current Catholic ideal. Family values in practice
The BBC spoke to four Catholic families - in the Philippines, Brazil, Ireland and Ghana - about how their family values relate to the teachings of the Church.
Ginggoy and Jill Lotho from the Philippines would like to see the Church loosen its restrictions on family planning.
Louis Doe Atsiatorme from Ghana had to get a special dispensation from the Church before he could marry a Methodist.
While conservatives do not want him to change doctrine, liberals hoped he would tell the Church to show a more merciful attitude to those whose families do not conform to the current Catholic ideal.
Some in the Church have called for measures which allow a priest or a bishop to decide privately, on a case-by-case basis, if a Catholic who has divorced and remarried can be fully readmitted and receive communion.Some in the Church have called for measures which allow a priest or a bishop to decide privately, on a case-by-case basis, if a Catholic who has divorced and remarried can be fully readmitted and receive communion.
While progressives such as the influential Cardinal Walter Kasper of Germany support this policy, conservatives maintain it would devalue the principle established by Jesus of marriage being indissoluble.While progressives such as the influential Cardinal Walter Kasper of Germany support this policy, conservatives maintain it would devalue the principle established by Jesus of marriage being indissoluble.
At the conclusion of the Synod last year, Francis castigated Church leaders who, he said, buried their heads in the sand over the issue. He argued that their adherence to rigid doctrine was over-riding their concern for the suffering of families.At the conclusion of the Synod last year, Francis castigated Church leaders who, he said, buried their heads in the sand over the issue. He argued that their adherence to rigid doctrine was over-riding their concern for the suffering of families.
The papal document is also expected to call for better marriage preparation while repeating the Synod's view that homosexual unions cannot be on a par with heterosexual marriage. It is a document in which the Pope performs a delicate balancing act, trying to ensure that he does not alienate traditionalists, nor those who wanted radical change, our religion correspondent Caroline Wyatt says.
What the Pope says is likely to be claimed as a victory by both sides, with enough to satisfy both traditionalists and liberals - though it is likely to disappoint gay Catholics, who had hoped for more than greater pastoral understanding, she adds.