Pope Francis made a brave statement on Wednesday about marital separation or divorce that will surely spark a debate. It turns out that even the head of the Catholic Church believes that divorce can be morally necessary under the right circumstances.
“There are cases in which separation is inevitable. Sometimes it can become even morally necessary, precisely when it comes to subtracting the weaker spouse, or small children, from more serious injuries caused by arrogance and violence, by humiliation and exploitation, and by indifference,” the pope said, quoted by the New York Post.
Pope Francis commended the married couples who underwent some serious challenges in their relationships and were able to save their marriages. However, he also said that he understands those who have fallen apart, according to the Washington Post.
The Pope ended with some questions that people could reflect on.
"Around us we find several families in so-called irregular — I don't like this word — situations, and we pose ourselves many questions. How can we help them? How can we support them? How can we support them so that children do not become hostages of their father or mother?" the pope said.
The Pope's statement came ahead of the upcoming bishops' conference in Rome where they will discuss controversial issues such as giving communion to those who divorced then remarried. Current guidelines ban them from receiving communion because the church considers it a sin to marry another person. This stance will remain based on the recent paper released by the Vatican, The Telegraph reported.
Pope Francis has been releasing statements that seem to accept divorce and homosexuality since he was elected two years ago. However, reformists were disappointed that the Church continues to refuse to change its beliefs.
