Pope Francis once again defends the reception in the Church of unmarried and divorced couples

Pope Francis recalled this Monday that, Although the Church “promotes the family within marriage”, it must also welcome divorced couples who live together.in an audience with the academic community of the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for the Sciences of Marriage and Family.

“The Church must welcome everyone, everyone, do not forget this word”said the bishop of Rome.

(Read also: Pope Francis defends marriage and regrets “suffering of children when parents separate”)

The Pope recalled the need for “pastoral accompaniment to those who cohabit, postponing indefinitely their marital commitment, and to those who are divorced and remarried.”

“They are baptized, they are brothers and sisters, the Holy Spirit pours into them gifts and charismas for the good of all: their presence in the Church testifies to their desire to persevere in the faith, despite the wounds of painful experiences,” he added.

Francis explained that “without excluding anyone, the Church promotes the family, founded on marriage, contributing everywhere and at all times to making the marital bond stronger, by virtue of that love that is greater than all: charity “.

“In effect, the strength of the family lies essentially in its capacity to love and teach how to love; no matter how wounded a family is, it can always grow from love,” he noted.

He also denounced that “unfortunately, there are countries in which public authorities do not respect the dignity and freedom to which every human being has the inalienable right as a child of God.”

And that, “limitations and impositions often weigh especially on women, forcing them into positions of subordination.”

Pope Francis: Everyone is called to say “no” to any violence against women and girls

On the other hand, Pope Francis said this Monday that “everyone” is called to say “no” to “any type” of violence against women, in a message on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

“We are all called to say ‘no’ to any type of violence against women and girls. We must fight together to recognize the human rights and dignity of all people,” he wrote on his social network profile X.

The Argentine pontiff addressed this social problem on multiple occasions, calling it a “poisonous weed that affects our society and that must be eliminated,” as he said a year ago during a campaign against machismo in Italy.

For this reason, among other things, he encouraged “education in respect and care” and “forming men capable of healthy relationships.”

(Read also: “An abortion is a homicide,” said Pope Francis