20 Catholic Couples

"Pope Marries Couples Who Have Cohabited and Had Children"
By: Reuters
Source: New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2014/09/14/world/europe/14reuters-italy-pope-wedding.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Pope Francis, the leader of the 1.3 billion Catholics all around, married 20 couples who have cohabited before marriage and have had children on Sunday, September 14. Francis is the first non-European pope for 1,300 years. "He has expressed tolerance regarding other topics that are traditionally taboo in the Church, asking "who am I to judge?" a gay person "who seeks God and has good will" (Reuters, 1). The pope has made multiple statements about how the Church must end its obsession with it's teachings topics such as abortion, contraception and homosexuality. He also has said that the Church should become more merciful, or "risk collapsing like a house of cards" (Reuters, 1). This shows that the Pope is more accepting of everyone and realizes that everyone has the right to be different. If one seeks God and is good then that he believes that no one has the authority to stop them for who they are or what they believe in.
Pope Francis took each couple through their vows in turn. Some couples including Gabriella and Guido already had children and thought that their marriage would be impossible. The Church does not agree with the idea of living together, sexual intercourse, and having children before marriage. Pope Francis is trying to change that mentality.  "The people getting married on Sunday are couples like many others. Some already live together, some already have children (Reuters, 1). "
Pope Francis’s approach contrasts with that of his predecessor, the German Pope Benedict, who said that threats like this (to a traditional family) undermines the future of humanity itself.