[Renzy]

From that same article with regards to Cohabitation:

Quote:

The synod discussions emphasized the “positive reality” of civil weddings and cohabitation which, while not the ideal of Christian marriage, nonetheless contain “constructive elements.”

Many couples who choose to live together, according to the synod, do so for economic reasons.

“Simple cohabitation is often a choice inspired by a general attitude, which is opposed to institutions and definitive undertakings, but also while waiting for a secure existence (a steady job and income).”

“In other countries common-law marriages are very numerous…because getting married is a luxury, so that material poverty encourages people to live in common-law marriages.”

Going along with this is simply going to reinforce the already downward trend we have in this country with regards to marriage.

And people aren't just cohabiting until money situations improve so they can get married. They're doing so because there's less and less of a stigma to cohabitate period , just as there's less and less of a stigma associated with out-of-wedlock births, single-motherhood, women having children with multiple fathers, and all the other social ills the Church was traditionally providing a bulwark against.

Quote:

In these cases, the synod says, “The church is called on to be the house of the Fathers, with doors always wide open…where there is a place for everyone, with all their problems.”

Making fewer and fewer demands on your adherents in an effort to be everything to everyone isn't a recipe for success.