Amoris Laetitia

Abstract

As we all know, Amoris Laetitia (AL) was published following the two Synods on the family, the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, 2014 and the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops 2015. Expectations of changes in the moral teaching of the Church were high. In particular some of the controversial issues were taken up for discussion and many expected radical changes in the teaching of the Church. Fortunately or unfortunately, such drastic changes did not happen either at the deliberations of the Synods, or in the Apostolic Exhortation AL. However, even months after its publication, the debate is going on whether AL has made any change at all. The debates and controversies are centred on AL‘s teaching on irregular situations, especially regarding the communion for the divorced and the remarried. Evidently, footnote 351 has been one of the most contentious issues. It is doubtful whether any other papal document after Humanae Vitae has been so much discussed and debated.