Divorce, Annulment, Marriage, and Pope Francis
The Church often finds herself in that tension between the ideal and the real – between the theological vision of wholeness and the lived experience of brokenness. The situation of marriage and family in the 21st Century is one of those places of tension. Divorce, annulment, marriage, and Pope Francis have been in the Catholic News a lot lately. And I find my own personal lived experience weighing heavy on my heart.
What Catholic News? The papal-celebrated-weddings:
Presiding over the wedding of 20 couples in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis celebrated marriage as the union of a man and woman playing complementary roles during their common journey through life…The newlyweds ranged in age from 25 to 56 and represented a variety of situations, with some already having children or having lived together before marriage. (Source Catholic News Service)
…and the upcoming Synod of Bishops:
An international gathering at the Vatican this fall will be attempting to decide what to do about [the situation of marriage and family in the 21st Century]. Convoked by Pope Francis and with assemblies scheduled this October and next, the synod represents an effort at the top levels of the Church not just to identify the problems facing marriage but, if possible, point to solutions. Pastoral care for people whose unions fall seriously short of the ideal — a category that includes divorced and remarried Catholics whose first marriages haven’t been annulled — will be discussed in that context. (Source OSV Newsweekly)
