Overview
- The 40‑page document, titled “Una caro” and released in Italian, was produced by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, authored by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, and approved by Pope Leo XIV on November 21.
- It reaffirms marriage as a lifelong, exclusive union between one man and one woman and stresses the indissolubility of the bond.
- The text critiques trends it says weaken committed relationships, including rising divorce rates, fragile unions, trivialized adultery, and the growth of polyamory in Western countries.
- It emphasizes the unitive dimension of marital sexuality as foundational, stating it is not limited to procreation.
- The publication follows Fernández’s 2023 declaration permitting blessings for same‑sex couples that drew a unified rebuke from many African bishops, and it urges education and formation to sustain exclusive marriage.