On Friday, the Vatican will publish a papal document on Catholic family life. It follows two lengthy consultative summits of Catholic bishops in 2014 and 2015 to consider various family issues.

Pope Francis’s document is known formally as an “apostolic exhortation” and will be published under the title Amoris Laetitia – The Joy of Love.

After last October’s three-week synod to discuss the “vocation and mission of the family in the church and the modern world”, the 190 bishops who took part issued a long document for the pope to consider. The pope is now ready to sum up the two-year debate within the church and indicate a way forward.

An apostolic exhortation is a vehicle for the pope to communicate his views and encourage the church to follow them in practice, but does not change church doctrine.

Source:The Vatican’s report on Catholic family life – the Guardian briefing | News | The Guardian