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http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/10/19/382763/pope-document-rejected-by-bishops/
Pope document rejected by Bishops
Sun Oct 19, 2014
Catholic bishops fail to reach consensus over a controversial Vatican document offering a more liberal approach toward several social issues.
Most parts of the document were approved by a majority of the 183 bishops, who were in attendance at the Vatican on Saturday, but the passages referring to wider acceptance of homosexuals and divorcees and civil union couples receiving communion failed to gain the two-thirds majority that it required to pass.
The document was issued following a two-week assembly of around 200 Roman Catholic bishops from all over the world.
An initial draft of the document, which was composed by a committee appointed by Pope Francis, was issued on Monday but was revised due to its wording as conservative bishops harshly criticized it, saying it can cause confusion among the faithful and threaten to undermine the traditional family.
The failure of the paragraphs to pass has been interpreted as a setback for the Pope and also shows the deep divisions, which exist in the Roman Catholic Church.
The Roman Catholic Church has been hit by numerous scandals in the US and Europe in the past few years, including allegations of covering up the sexual abuse of children by priests to protect pedophiles and its own reputation.
SRK/NN/AS
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