Pope Leo endorses Francis' divisive 2016 text on Communion after civil remarriage
ABC News
Pope Leo XIV is signaling strong endorsement of one of Pope Francis’ most controversial policies on marriage and divorce
ROME -- Pope Leo XIV on Thursday summoned Catholic bishops to Rome for a special meeting on ministering to families that takes as its starting point Leo’s strong endorsement of one of Pope Francis’ most controversial policies on marriage and divorce.
Leo penned a special message marking the 10th anniversary of Francis’ 2016 document “The Joy of Love.” He called the text a “luminous message of hope” that is even more relevant and urgent today than it was a decade ago.
When it was released, “The Joy of Love” immediately sparked controversy because it opened the door to letting civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion.
Church teaching holds that unless these Catholics obtain an annulment — a church decree that their first marriage was invalid — they cannot receive the sacraments, since they are seen as living in sin and committing adultery.
Francis didn’t create a church-wide pass for these Catholics, but suggested — in vague terms and a strategically placed footnote — that bishops and priests could do so on a case-by-case basis after accompanying them on a spiritual journey of discernment. Subsequent comments and writings made clear Francis intended such wiggle room, part of his belief that God’s mercy extends in particular to sinners and that the Eucharist isn’t a prize for the perfect but nourishment for the weak.
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