Pope Leo endorses Francis' divisive 2016 text on Communion after civil remarriage

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday summoned Catholic bishops to Rome for a special meeting on ministering to families that takes as its starting point Leo’s strong endorsement of one of Pope Francis’ most controversial policies on marriage and divorce. Leo penned a special message marking the 10th anniversary of Francis’ 2016 document “The Joy of Love.” He called the text a “luminous message of hope” that is even more relevant and urgent today than it was a decade ago. When it was released, “The Joy of Love” immediately sparked controversy because it opened the door to letting civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion.