Pope Francis has been making waves in terms of his opinions and the manner by which he provides a fresh perspective in the beliefs of the Catholic Church and its followers. In his weekly general audience on Wednesday, the pontiff sheds light on where he stands in relation to the dynamics of family and marital life - a stance which is once again distinct from his predecessors and to the customary outlook of the religious.
In his series of talks dedicated to family life, Pope Francis explains to the crowds in St. Peter's Square that the primary focus in determining whether or not spouses should stay together is the children in the family, according to Washington Post. He says that separation between married couples sometimes becomes "inevitable" and "even morally necessary." The urgency to do so is rooted on the necessity "to protect the weaker spouse or small children." The pope says such move becomes justifiable especially in the face of danger of suffering "from more serious injuries" brought about by "intimidation and violence, by humiliation and exploitation, by lack of involvement and indifference."
"When the father and mother harm each other, children's souls suffer greatly, feeling a sense of desperation. And they are wounds that leave a lifelong mark," Pope Francis explains, as reported by Religion News Service. He then poses the questions, "We find many families in irregular situations around us. And this poses many questions: How can we help them? How can we accompany them? How can we accompany them so the children do not become hostages to their father or mother?"
The pontiff also touches on the typical responses expected from warring spouses - soldiering on despite the immeasurable differences and keeping mum on the possibility of separating in an effort to save the marriage, according to Catholic Culture. Pope Francis says that "hiding these hurts only deepens such wounds, leading to anger and friction between loved ones." Consequently, he says that "if these wounds are particularly deep, they can even lead a spouse to search for understanding elsewhere, to the detriment of the family, especially children."
The weekly discussion conducted by Pope Francis himself is an effort by the Vatican to iron out the differences between the pontiff's opinions and the traditional perspective in terms of the modern-day family. On the outset, the pope has been quite vocal about his desire to have a Catholic Church that is more inclusive and "welcoming."
"The Christian message should be conveyed using language that generates hope," states the 78-page document (via RNS) on family values issued by the Vatican on Tuesday.
