Pope: Divorced and Remarried People Not Excommunicated

Pope Francis on Wednesday declared that Catholics who are divorced and remarry need to be treated better by the Church and urged pastors to not treat them or their family members as if they are being excommunicated.

Many Catholics who remarry feel left out of the church since as per catholic traditions, remarriage is considered a sin and prevents the individual from receiving Communion.

Pope Francis' has often emphasised on mercy in his talks on Church leadership which has led many people to hope that he would lift the Communion ban.

With regard to his latest remarks on divorce, the Pope said, "How do we take care of those who, following the irreversible failing of their family bond made a new union?"

"People who started a new union after the defeat of their sacramental marriage are not at all excommunicated, and they absolutely must not be treated that way," Francis then goes on to add, "They always belong to the church."

The Pope also wondered how the children born to failed marriages will be raised by their parents "with an example of convinced and practiced faith, if we keep them (the parents) far from the community life (of the church) as if they were excommunicated?"

He urged pastors "not to add additional weight beyond what the children in this situation have to bear. Unfortunately the numbers of these children and young people are truly great."