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Vatican Doctrinal Note Reaffirms Monogamous Marriage, Warns on Polygamy and Poliamory

The text responds to repeated appeals from African bishops for guidance on polygamy.

Overview

  • The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released a note asserting marriage as an exclusive, lifelong union between one man and one woman and cautioning against non‑monogamous arrangements.
  • The document, titled “Una sola carne: alabanza de la monogamia,” frames polygamy as a pressing pastoral challenge and cites the growth of publicly non‑monogamous relationships in Western societies.
  • Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández authored the 40‑page text, which the document says was approved by Pope Leo XIV.
  • The note emphasizes the unitive and procreative dimensions of marital sexuality, placing the unitive purpose as foundational and reiterating the Church’s prohibition on artificial contraception.
  • Published only in Italian and heavily footnoted with 256 citations, the scholarly format may shape how quickly the guidance is understood and applied across regions.