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Pope Francis making news again today, his much awaited document on family life has been released. The lengthy document entitled “The Joy of Love” touches on hot button topics like divorce and gay marriage.

The Pope is calling for forgiveness and compassion while upholding basic Catholic teachings. The document is being viewed as progressive but not progressive enough for some.

Pope Francis is urging priests to be merciful to what he calls “imperfect Catholics”. The document’s release concludes a more than two-year consultation that saw bishops meet twice in Rome. It touches on topics like divorcees remarrying, women, contraception, sex education and gay marriage. The document does not, however change Catholic doctrine.

Catholics who divorce and remarry cannot receive communion unless they abstain from sex with their new partner but the pope says no one can be condemned forever. Francis says gay people should be respected but says ” there are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family.”