The report, delivered in Pope Francis' presence halfway through a two-week meeting of nearly 200 bishops at the Vatican, offered a markedly different tone in its approach to homosexuals, cohabiting couples and the divorced. The document is not a final report on the synod of bishops, who will continue their meeting this week. A more definitive report is expected after a final synod next year.

In a section titled "Welcoming homosexual persons," the report says, "Homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community: are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities? Often ...