Inside the Global Marriage Crisis Facing Pope Leo
Vatican Access with Robert Duncan
As bishops from around the world gather in Rome for a meeting convened by Pope Leo XIV on marriage and the family, J.P. De Gance has been working behind the scenes to help the Church understand what's at stake. His organization, Communio, produced a report on the state of marriage in America, providing research and analysis to inform today's discussions ten years after Pope Francis published "Amoris Laetitia." In this conversation, De Gance reveals why he believes the Catholic Church has failed to respond adequately to the collapse of marriage. He explains why Catholic marriages have declined dramatically in the United States, why most parishes spend too little on marriage ministry, and how the decline of the family may be driving the crisis of faith. He also discusses his conversations with bishops from around the world, whether Pope Francis' reforms have made a practical difference, and what Pope Leo's gathering could accomplish. Guest bio: J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening marriages and families through churches. Previously involved in public policy, he turned his attention to marriage renewal following a family crisis that brought four nieces and nephews into his home. His work has included a major initiative in Jacksonville, Florida, where 93 churches participated in a program associated with a 24% decline in the local divorce rate over three years. Communio has since worked with nearly 600 churches and parishes in 44 U.S. dioceses.