God’s mercy manifests itself in the history of the world redeeming persons. Jesus Christ personified that mercy uniquely and the Church bears witness to it in its mission. More recently, in Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love) Pope Francis explicates divine mercy as compassionate pastoral concern for those in difficult marital situations or in ‘irregular unions’. In the light of the Synod on the Family (2015), Amoris Laetitia includes the contributions of both the synods on the family and offers considerations “as an aid to reflection, dialogue and pastoral practice, and as a help and encouragement to families in their daily commitments and challenges” (10). By including statements from ten episcopal conferences throughout the world and past papal statements in the document, the Pope signals continuity with the orthodox tradition of the Catholic Church.

In Vatican Council II, the Church recognized the need of retrieving the merciful and saving presence of God. Drawing on the theology envisaged in Vatican Council II, Pope John XXIII said at the opening of the council, “Now the Bride of Christ wishes to use the medicine of mercy rather than taking up arms of severity….” Among the nine chapters of Amoris Laetitia, Chapter 6: ‘Some Pastoral Perspectives’ and Chapter 8: ‘Accompanying, Discerning and Integrating Weakness’ contain directives to pastors as to the exercise of compassionate pastoral concern.

In Misericordiae Vultus (2015), mercy is seen as the very foundation of the life of the Church, the force that reawakens us to new life, and instils in us the courage to look to the future with hope. Chapter 6 observes that besides presenting a set of rules, pastoral care must stress the values necessary in the world of today. The Pope looks for help from lay professionals who would complement the efforts of spiritual directors, the spiritual treasures of the Church and sacramental reconciliation. Instruction is to be offered to those intending marriage and provision made to accompany newly married couples in the first few years. The poor need special attention since financial constraints often restrict the possibilities of their finding solutions to their marital problems. Even the divorced and persons who enter new unions, without the Church’s blessing, must feel part of the Church. So also, those in mixed marriages which often provide occasions for interreligious dialogue. Those with homosexual orientations are to be shown pastoral concern, but homosexual marriages may not be seen as God’s plan for marriage and the family.

In Chapter 8, the Pope indicates that the pastoral care of the Church should reach out to and accompany those who have breached the marriage bond; he compares the task of the Church to that of a field hospital. Keeping in mind the ideal of Christian marriage, the “Synod Fathers stated that the Church does not disregard the constructive elements in those situations which do not yet or no longer correspond to her teaching on marriage” (292). Marriage unions that are de facto irregular are to be dealt with as Jesus dealt with the Samaritan woman. Pope Francis acknowledges the usefulness of canon law in dealing with problematic and irregular situations related to marriage, but he also endorses the ‘law of gradualness’ proposed by Pope John Paul II in Familiaris Consortio (1981). “This is not a ‘gradualness of law’ but rather a gradualness in the prudential exercise of free acts on the part of subjects who are not in a position to understand, appreciate, or fully carry out the objective demands of the law.” (295)

Jesus Christ personified that mercy uniquely and the Church bears witness to it in its mission.

Quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church (no. 1735), Pope Francis says, “Imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological or social factors.” (302) Further, a person “can also recognize with sincerity and honesty what for now is the most generous response which can be given to God, and come to see with a certain moral security that it is what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one’s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal” (303). The opinion of the International Theological Commission’s view on natural law is quoted, “Natural law…is a source of objective inspiration for the deeply personal process of making decisions.” (305)

Pastors are asked to remember that they must accompany with mercy and patience the eventual stages of growth as they progressively appear in those whom they assist (308). They are not to act as arbiters of grace since “the Church is not a tollhouse; it is the house of the Father, where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems” (310). By itself, the mere application of a universal norm/law is not sufficient to reflect God’s just action or His mercy.

Pastoral care means first listening, empathizing with the distressed persons and noting the positives that are present in their situations. Thereafter begins a process of discernment to assist the persons and act for the common good. Episcopal Conferences or local authorities are asked to be more pro-active in offering directives to pastors dealing with difficult marital situations since, being regional, they are better informed than a centralized authority that is far away.

Keeping the concerns of the Pope in mind, families in Indian society require special consideration, since very often difficult marital situations are caused by irritants arising from the joint-family structure, from caste discrimination that disrupt the harmony shared by the husband and wife, and from social pressures that are patriarchal and often weighed against the dignity and rights of women.

Amoris Laetitia implicitly questions the settlement of problems faced by those in difficult marital situations through sole recourse to canon law. While laws articulate the objective norms which a community abides by, the level of obligation they impose on an individual person remains finally a matter between the individual and God. The pastor shows his compassionate pastoral concern by acknowledging the Spirit’s presence in the person he is counselling and reassuring him/her that the Spirit will build on the already existing foundations. On his/her part, a person should remain open to the Spirit’s action that will occur according to a timetable known to God alone. The pastor’s task is to confirm that the concerned individual understands that God asks of him/her only so much at the present moment.

The expectation of Amoris Laetitia is that the Church community extend the hand of friendship and acceptance to those who feel isolated and distanced from the Church because of their situation. Compassionate pastoral concern can take the form of a group where the pastor works with a team of lay professionals (lawyers, counsellors, persons in stable marriages, etc.) helping those in difficult marital situations or irregular unions. Considerations proceeding from Humanae Vitae and Familiaris Consortio are in place as also the role of a formed conscience as taught by Gaudium et Spes no. 50 (222). Showing compassionate pastoral concern to those in difficult marital situations will not necessarily solve their marital problems but Amoris Laetitia has heralded a new approach that surely bears witness to a God who loves unconditionally and whose mercy has no limits.