VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter
Joshua J. McElwee | Apr. 6, 2016
VATICAN CITY
A Vatican reading guide sent to Catholic bishops globally ahead of the release of Pope Francis’ widely anticipated document on family life says the pontiff wants the church to adopt a new stance of inclusion towards society and to ensure its doctrines are “at the service of the pastoral mission.”
The guide — sent by the Vatican’s office for the Synod of Bishops in preparation for Friday’s release of “Amoris Laetitia; On Love in the Family” — explains that Francis “encourages not just a ‘renewal’ but even more, a real ‘conversion’ of language.”
“The Gospel must not be merely theoretical, not detached from people’s real lives,” states the guide. “To talk about the family and to families, the challenge is not to change doctrine but to inculturate the general principles in ways that they can be understood and practiced.”
“Our language should encourage and reassure every positive step taken by every real family,” it continues.
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