Over 800,000 Catholics Demand Clarification on Family and Marriage

Carrie Dedrick | Updated: Oct 01, 2015

Over 800,000 Catholics Demand Clarification on Family and Marriage

Over 800,000 Catholics from around the world have signed a petition requesting Pope Francis to clarify the Catholic Church’s stance on family and marriage. Christian Today reports Catholics from 178 countries have signed the request, called the Filial Appeal

According to the petition, Francis needs to explain Church teachings on family and marriage because “a word from Your Holiness is the only way to clarify the growing confusion among the faithful."

Last year, Francis did not participate in the Extraordinary Synod to encourage freedom of discussion within the Catholic Church. 

Catholics are now concerned that the Synod opened a “breach” "that would accept adultery – by permitting divorced and then civilly remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion – and would virtually accept even homosexual unions when such practices are categorically condemned as being contrary to Divine and natural law."

The petition states that clarification from the Pope “would prevent the very teaching of Jesus Christ from being watered-down and would dispel the darkness looming over our children's future should that beacon no longer light their way.” 

Only eight of 218 cardinals signed the Filial Appeal. Petition spokesperson Professor Tommasso Scandroglio says he believes the cardinals feel that the Filial Appeal is critical of the Pope, which was not his intent. 

Publication date: October 1, 2015



Over 800,000 Catholics Demand Clarification on Family and Marriage