Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I believe that the question is referring to Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation "Amoris Laetitia" ("The Joy of Love"), which was dated 19 March 2016, and was released on 8 April 2016.

The English text of this document runs to 264 pages. It is viewable at the following web address:

http://w2.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf

The main portions of this document (as I understand them) dealt with:

-- the granting of greater ability of divorced Catholics (both re-married and unmarried) to have access to the sacraments of the church, particularly the Eucharist (Holy Communion); 

-- a granting of greater pastoral discretion and discernment in dealing with marital issues, rather than addressing all such cases by the uniform application of an inflexible fixed rule;

-- reaffirmation of the church's opposition to abortion and artificial contraception;

-- a statement of support for feminism insofar as it recognizes women's rights and allows their participation in public life, but not with respect to demanding uniformity of the sexes, or negating the role of motherhood;

-- opposition to an over-emphasis or insistence upon fixed, traditional roles and responsibilities of men and women within the context of the family;

-- the urging of compassion by the church toward heterosexual marriages in which one or both partners are dealing with issues of being attracted to individuals of the same sex -- treating each partner with respect, dignity, and consideration, and working to avoid discrimination or violence, while at the same time providing pastoral guidance so that those who manifest a homosexual orientation "can receive the assistance they need to understand and fully carry out God's will in their lives."

-- reaffirmation of the church's position that society requires families "based on a stable commitment that bears fruit in new life" -- a requirement not met by homosexual unions, or by heterosexual unions that are not lifelong [i.e., that are outside the context of marriage]; that "there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family"; and that "[i]t is unacceptable that local churches should be subjected to pressure in this matter, and that international bodies should make financial aid to poor countries dependent on the introduction of laws to establish 'marriage' between persons of the same sex."

-- condemning the "division of human life and parenthood into modular and separable realities, subject mainly to the wishes of individuals or couples", and stating that "[i]t is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality. Let us not fall into the sin of trying to replace the Creator. We are creatures, and not omnipotent."

January 12 2017 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report