<p>Pope Francis has decried the number of Catholics now cohabiting and said he would order a study to tackle the question.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"Today, many Catholics don't get married but live together. Marriage is provisional. This is a serious problem," the pontiff told members of the Vatican's Synod of Bishops.<br /><br />"In October, we need to commission a pastoral study of the family," Francis said.<br />he did not elaborate who would carry out the study.<br /><br />The Synod of Bishops was set up by Pope Paul VI in 1965 to study specific issues in the Catholic Church and put forward solutions.</p>
<p>Pope Francis has decried the number of Catholics now cohabiting and said he would order a study to tackle the question.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"Today, many Catholics don't get married but live together. Marriage is provisional. This is a serious problem," the pontiff told members of the Vatican's Synod of Bishops.<br /><br />"In October, we need to commission a pastoral study of the family," Francis said.<br />he did not elaborate who would carry out the study.<br /><br />The Synod of Bishops was set up by Pope Paul VI in 1965 to study specific issues in the Catholic Church and put forward solutions.</p>