The prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), Víctor Manuel Fernández—who, by the way, was in audience with the Pope today—has already set the date for the new doctrinal document from the Vatican dedicated to the value of monogamy in Christian marriage: it will be next Tuesday, November 25, and it will be titled “UNA CARO. Praise of Monogamy. Doctrinal Note on the Value of Marriage as an Exclusive Union and Mutual Belonging”.
Context and Motivation of the Doctrinal Text
During the presentation of the document «Mater populi fidelis», the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith announced that it was preparing this new text, focused on the defense of monogamy and the exclusive communion between a man and a woman.
The origin of the initiative is linked to a request from African bishops who raised the need for clear guidance on polygamy, still present in some cultures of the continent. The new document seeks to continue the debates of the 2014-2015 synods on the family, a topic that is also being discussed in the study groups of the Synod on Synodality.
Marriage as a Sacramental Sign
The announced doctrinal text aims to present an exposition—both theological and pastoral—of why the Church considers marriage as an exclusive, permanent union open to procreation and the good of the spouses and society.
It is expected that the document will emphasize that, although the Church respects human and cultural difficulties, it cannot change the “primordial divine plan” regarding marriage between a man and a woman.