VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis’ emphasis on a church that is merciful rather than moralizing is having a pronounced effect inside a meeting of bishops on family life, with the bishops emphasizing that the faithful should be the best possible Catholics they can be, even if they’re not perfect ones.

Bishops have referred frequently to the theological concept of the “law of gradualness,” which encourages the faithful to take one step at a time in the search for holiness.