Pope Leo endorses Francis' divisive 2016 text on Communion after civil remarriage

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Updated 6:12 AM CDT, March 19, 2026
Leer en español

ROME (AP) — 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.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/vatican-family-pope-francis-heresy-c078f3541fcd85d9023c5da490a25be0

[BlueKota]

1. My parents were excommunicated for having a civil marriage.

My Dad's first wife divorced him, and ran off with another guy because he was wealthier than my Dad. She also left their 13 year old son behind, and our grandmother had to step in to help my Dad raise him, until he was out of high-school. My Dad never talked about it, but one of our neighbors, who was around when it happened filled my sister in on it.

My Dad didn't meet my Mom until many years later. Since he and my Mom were both Catholic, he went to the church, to ask for an annulment, when he decided to propose to her. The pastor asked him for an exorbitant sum of money, so the pastor could fly to Rome to seek special permission for the annulment from the Vatican. My Dad refused. My Mom agreed to marry him anyway and they were not allowed to receive Communion after that. Mom still went to Mass though, and my sister and I were sent to Catholic School anyway. Where my kindergarten teacher actually said to me I was illegitimate because my parents marriage wasn't recognized by the church.

Things did change, however. My Mom wanted to call a priest when my Dad was dying. She told him about she and my Dad being excommunicated. He said that didn't matter to him, and he gave my Dad last rights. At my father's funeral mass held at the church, the priest said, "People are petty, God isn't." He also said my Dad was far more forgiving of the church than the church was to he and my mother. I will never forget that.

I grow more proud of Pope Leo every day!