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Pope Francis on Divorce and Remarriage

Pastoral Discernment (strong)

Pope Francis maintains the doctrinal teaching that a consummated sacramental marriage is indissoluble, meaning civil remarriage without an annulment contradicts the nature of the sacrament as taught by Christ.

Despite upholding this doctrine, Pope Francis strongly advocates that the Church must welcome divorced and remarried Catholics and ensure they do not feel treated as if they were excommunicated.

His approach, articulated in Amoris Laetitia, stresses the need for personal judgment by priests and bishops on a case-by-case basis to discern how such individuals can participate more fully in the life of the Church, potentially including the sacraments in exceptional cases.

Context

The issue of divorce and remarriage centers on the Catholic teaching that a valid, consummated marriage is indissoluble by any human power, as rooted in the words of Jesus Christ.

Catholics seeking to remarry in the Church outside of widowhood must typically receive an annulment (a declaration of nullity), which rules that a valid sacrament never took place.

Pope Francis has worked to reform the canonical process for annulments to make it more accessible and streamlined, though he emphasizes this is distinct from divorce because doctrine holds marriage as an indissoluble sacrament.

Actions Taken

  1. Magisterial Document
    Issued the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia ('The Joy of Love') following two Synods on the Family, which called for greater pastoral accompaniment and discernment regarding couples in 'irregular family situations.'
  2. Canon Law Reform
    Reformed the canonical process for obtaining a declaration of nullity (annulment) to make it faster and more accessible.

Key Quotes

People who started a new union after the defeat of their sacramental marriage are not at all excommunicated, and they absolutely must not be treated that way. They always belong to the church.

General Audience address August 5, 2015 — Stating that remarried Catholics should not be made to feel excluded from the community.

The Church well knows that such a situation contradicts the Christian Sacrament. Nonetheless, he added, the Church should always approach such situations with a “mother's heart; a heart which, animated by the Holy Spirit, seeks always the good and the salvation of the person.”

General Audience address August 5, 2015 — Describing the required attitude of the Church towards those in irregular unions.

“There are no other interpretations,” Francis wrote [regarding the Argentinean bishops' interpretation of Amoris Laetitia].

Letter to Argentinean bishops September 5, 2016 — Endorsing a local interpretation that allows for discernment regarding sacraments.

Related Positions

  • annulment-process Pope Francis reformed this canonical process to be more accessible, which is the primary doctrinal path for civilly remarried Catholics to potentially receive communion.
  • mercy-and-justice His approach to this topic is heavily framed by his general emphasis on applying the Church's message of mercy alongside adherence to the law.

Comparison

  • Doctrine: Pope Francis affirms the doctrine, echoing predecessors like St. John Paul II, that divorced and remarried individuals who have not received an annulment cannot receive Eucharistic Communion because their state contradicts the Sacrament.
  • Pastoral Practice: He moved away from automatically barring divorced and remarried Catholics from the community, insisting they should not be treated as if excommunicated, which some saw as a softening of previous stances.
  • Interpretation: His emphasis on discernment based on individual circumstances—especially in Amoris Laetitia—was interpreted by some, including Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, as allowing access to sacraments in certain cases, a reading that was heavily debated.
Sources6

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.