Amoris laetitia (The Joy of Love) is a post-synodal apostolic exhortation by Pope Francis addressing the pastoral care of families. Dated 19 March 2016, it was released on 8 April 2016. It follows the Synods on the Family held in 2014 and 2015. The exhortation covers a wide range of topics related to marriage and family life as well as the contemporary challenges faced by families throughout the world. It encourages both pastors and laypeople to accompany and care for families and others in situations of particular need. Amoris laetitia also includes an extended reflection on the meaning of love in the day-to-day reality of family life. Controversy arose following the publication of Amoris laetitia regarding whether Chapter 8 of the exhortation had changed the Catholic Church's sacramental discipline concerning access to the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist for divorced persons who have civilly remarried. Background Catholic teaching on marriage Doctrine The Catholic Church holds that marriage is a sacrament creating an indissoluble union between one man and one woman. While the Catholic Church allows for the possibility of separation from a marriage in certain cases, it does not recognize the validity of a subsequent marriage unless a declaration of nullity has been obtained regarding the first marriage or the first spouse is deceased. Any sexual act outside of marriage is considered a grave sin, and if the subjective elements of full knowledge and deliberate consent are present in an individual committing such an act, the individual would be deemed to have committed a mortal sin and would be deprived of access to Holy Communion until they have received sacramental absolution. Canon law The 1917 Code of Canon Law stated: "Bigamists, that is, those who attempt another marriage-even if only a so-called civil marriage-while the first conjugal bond still exists, are ipso facto notorious; and if they scorn the warning of their Ordinary and persist in this illicit cohabitation, they are to be excommunicated." Canon 915 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law states that persons "obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion". In 2000, the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts (PCLT) released a declaration which states that canon 915 applies to the divorced and civilly remarried. According to the PCLT, this prohibition "is derived from divine law" and based on the canonical notion of "scandal", which exists even if this kind