Vatican City, Oct 13 (IANS/EFE): Participants at the Synod of Bishops agreed Monday that the Roman Catholic Church must take into account the positive values of couples joined in a civil partnership and cohabitation outside of a church-sanctioned marriage.

The synod's relator general, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, read before the assembled bishops a summary document of all the interventions which took place last week, appreciating the positive aspects in relationships between couples who have not been married in the church.

"A new sensitivity in today's pastoral consists of grasping the positive reality of civil weddings and, having pointed out our differences, of cohabitation. It is necessary to indicate the constructive elements in those situations that do not yet or no longer correspond to that ideal," reads the document.

During the debate, the bishops highlighted the increasing number of cases of couples who are not married by the church, but also the growing number of those who, after having lived together for a long time, request a church wedding.

To the bishops, cohabitation "is often a choice inspired by a general attitude, which is opposed to institutions and definitive undertakings", according to the document.

"But (they) also lack economic security, as well as the fact that in many countries couples believe that getting married is a luxury, so that material poverty encourages people to live in common-law marriages."

The bishops encouraged dioceses to accept authentic family values or at least the wish for them that exist in these unions.

However, the bishops urged addressing these situations "in a constructive manner" and trying to transform them into opportunities to walk towards the fullness of marriage and the family in the light of the Gospel, with the help of "the attractive testimony of authentic Christian families".

The "Relatio post disceptationem" issued by the Synod will serve as a basis for the final document to be presented to Pope Francis later this week.