Pope launches review of Church teaching on family, marriage

Pope Francis on Sunday launched a major review of Catholic teaching on the family that could lead to change in the Church’s attitude to marriage, cohabitation and divorce. An extraordinary synod, or meeting, of nearly 200 bishops from around the world and a sprinkling of lay people will, for the next two weeks, address the huge gulf between what the Church currently says on these issues and what tens of millions of believers actually do. In his trademark style, the 77-year-old Argentinian pontiff took to Twitter to mark the start of a debate which has pitted conservative clerics against reformists led by German cardinal Walter Kasper.

The Church is a mother, not a customs office, coldly checking who is within the rules.

Pope Francis

Since becoming pontiff just over 18 months ago, Francis has repeatedly highlighted the “wounds” caused by family breakdown in modern society, while suggesting the Church needs to adapt to this new reality. Francis has underlined where he stands by personally marrying couples who had lived together “in sin” prior to their weddings and by baptising a child born to parents married outside of the church. But a reform agenda on social issues could prove much harder to implement: Conservatives in the Church hierarchy have already made it clear they will fight any dilution of traditional doctrine.

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