Pope Francis Urges Acceptance Of Divorced, Remarried Catholics: 'They Always Belong To The Church'

While divorced individuals who remarry go against the teachings of the Catholic Church, its leader, Pope Francis, said that they should not be excommunicated.

"They always belong to the church," said the pope as he addressed the weekly general audience assembly Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.

Under the teachings of the church, individuals who have divorced and remarried are considered as adulterous and living in sin. Thus, they are not allowed to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion. The rule has not been changed even in Pope Francis' time, and the only way individuals in this predicament are officially welcomed back to the fold is if and when they are granted a church annulment.

The pope, however, would like the members of the church to be more accepting of this situation. He also commended priests, who extended "a fraternal and attentive acceptance" to these individuals.  

He emphasized the need for acceptance to set an example for the children of these divorcees. "They are the ones who suffer the most in these situations," the Holy Father added in the Associated Press report. 

"How will we be able to recommend to these parents to do their utmost to educate their children in the Christian life, giving them the example of a convinced and practiced faith, if we hold them at a distance from the life of the community, as if they were excommunicated?" he added.

Pope Francis said that the act of accepting remarried divorcees could be likened to the Good Shepherd. "Each one of us can do our part by having the attitude of the Good Shepherd, Who knows every one of His sheep, and excludes no one from His infinite love," as reported in Vatican Radio.

The pope's statement, however, doesn't change anything in the doctrines and teachings, even if some have speculated that, perhaps, he would like to lift the ban on communion, according to The Telegraph.  

"It is purely of pastoral significance. Which means there is no reason for the secular media to hyperventilate," said Bill Donohue from the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, according to Washington Times.

Anthony Padovano of Catholics for Choice sees this differently. He believes that the pope would like bishops to initiate divorce reforms, as stated in Washington Times. He also said that there are priests, who have secretly given communion to people who have remarried. With the pope himself encouraging acceptance, this will make it "very difficult" for church leaders to say no.