In light of a changing world and attitudes by millions of people, the Catholic Church has decided to review how it communicates its doctrine in an attempt to better appeal to people, particularly the younger generations, which tend to be more socially liberal.

In October, Pope Francis called an Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, which will be divided into two sessions: one in 2014, the other in 2015. According to the Catholic News Service, the first session will be held from Oct. 5-19 in the Vatican and will evaluate the state of the family. The second meeting will convene to create proposals for whatever issues the first convention discovers.

In preparation for the synod, the Vatican sent a 39-point questionnaire to Catholic bishops around the world asking for parishioner input on family and contemporary issues. Their input was then compiled into a document known as the Instrumentum Laboris, or working paper. According to CBS, the Vatican released the document Thursday, and it compiles thousands of lay Catholics' views on Catholic teachings, particularly the issue of contraception in families.

"Many responses recommend that for many Catholics the concept of 'responsible parenthood' encompasses the shared responsibility in conscience to choose the most appropriate method of birth control," the report says.

Pope Francis has been trying to make the church more merciful and appealing. The synod will allow for the beginning of a discussion; however, the document also lays the blame of the departure from at least some Catholic doctrine on the media and priests who "have failed to communicate the 'positive' aspects of the Vatican's key document banning artificial contraception," The Associated Press says in paraphrasing the document.

Another issue affecting Catholics is that of divorce, remarriage and communion. Catholics who divorce and remarry cannot receive communion because the Church believes they are living in sin. The National Catholic Reporter adds that the document covered this topic at length and mentions abstractly the possibility of changes, though it does not outright recommend them.

"The Church needs to equip herself with pastoral means which provide the possibility of her more widely exercising mercy, clemency and indulgence towards new unions," the document states, as quoted by the NCR. The document does, however, mention that some respondents "recommend considering the practice of some Orthodox Churches, which, in their opinion, opens the way for a second or third marriage of a penitential character."

According to the NCR, respondents also asked for a "faster and simpler" annulment process, which would involve both local bishops and lay Catholics. The 85-page document continues to support the Church's stance on same-sex marriage but, according to CBS, "recommends new pastoral guidelines to confront the increasing reality of legal recognition for same-sex unions," adding that gay people should be treated with dignity and respect.