Pope's Guide To Marriage & Family Life Sparks Controversy

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The Pope has released his own guide to marriage and family life. The long-awaited document from the Pontiff has given some people hope---but others are not pleased.

Meghan McCorkell breaks it down.

The new document entitled "The Joy of Love" asks the church to be more welcoming and less judgmental.

In 256 pages, Pope Francis addressed love in the modern world.

"The Pope is very aware that marriage is not a bed of roses. He's aware of the challenges," said Father Thomas Rosica, Holy See.

In "The Joy of Love," the Pope calls divorce evil but says no one can be condemned forever.

"We need to help kind of walk with these individuals," said Edward Herrera, Archdiocese of Baltimore.

The Pontiff offers hope for some divorced Catholics who have remarried. Edward Herrera says the Pope recognizes some marriages fail.

"The question really is, how are we working with people? How are we encountering people and how are we supporting people?" Herrera said.

A message that's touching many.

"All of us are affected and we see how we are supposed to live our lives," said one.

"I appreciate his concern," said another. "His being open about the ideas."

And while some of Pope Francis' words are open for interpretation, the document doesn't contain any major doctrine changes for the church.

In 2013, the Pope famously said "Who am I to judge?" when asked about homosexuals. But in this latest document, he writes "There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions."

"It was surprising and disappointing," said Francis DeBernardo.

DeBernardo is with New Way Ministry, a Catholic church serving the LGBT community. He says he's upset at the Pope's hard line.

"I was hoping for at least some sort of statement of welcome and affirmation," he said.

A moment he hopes could come in the future.

DeBernardo says he would like to see a Vatican-level meeting to discuss LGBT issues.

In the document, the Pope urges Catholics to look more to their own conscience than Vatican rules.