Living with Five Wives and Fourteen Children, Yet Says "It's Not Polygamy"... What's Behind This Perspective?

Unique Family Structures Reignite Debate on Polyamory
Vatican’s New Document Reaffirms Monogamy

'Polyamory' is a term derived from the Greek word 'poly,' meaning 'many,' and the Latin-derived 'amory,' meaning 'love.' It refers to a relationship structure in which one person maintains romantic connections with multiple people simultaneously, without exclusivity. Recently, there has been a growing number of couples in the United States who are pursuing polyamorous relationships.

James Barrett, who claims to be 'polyamorous,' lives under one roof with his five wives and fourteen children, along with his family. The Sun

On December 8 (local time), international media outlets such as The Sun introduced the story of James Barrett, who lives in the United States with his five wives and fourteen children under one roof. The form of polyamory that James practices involves one person maintaining romantic or sexual relationships with two or more people at the same time. It differs from infidelity in that all parties involved communicate transparently and honestly with mutual consent. It also differs from monogamy in that there is no limit to the number of partners.

Addressing the prejudices of some people, James stated, "Most people, when they hear the word 'polyamory,' assume there is neither love nor a real family," adding, "But if you look at our daily lives, you can see that such stereotypes are wrong." His wives are Cameron (29), Jessica (31), Leta (28), Gabby (30), and Diana (30). They refer to themselves as 'sister wives' and cooperate with each other in child-rearing and household chores. James explained, "I have been with Cameron and Jessica the longest, and the most recent addition to our family is Diana, who has been with us for four years." He emphasized, "Even when I was in monogamous relationships in the past, I continued to meet others and longed for various forms of diversity."

Explaining that polyamory has had a very positive impact on his relationships and parenting, he said, "Thanks to the help of my spouses, there is much more love and support in raising children. I always wanted to have many children, so I am very happy to have such a large family." However, he added, "Being responsible for five wives and fourteen children is extremely demanding both mentally and financially." Currently, he shares the daily life of his large family on social media, where he has more than 112,000 followers.

'Vatican Issues Warning on Polyamory: "Marriage Is the Union of One Man and One Woman"' 

On November 25, the Vatican officially criticized the spread of non-monogamous relationships such as polygamy and polyamory through the release of its new doctrinal document, 'Una Caro (One Body).' The 40-page document, prepared by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith with the approval of Pope Leo XIV, emphasized the Catholic tradition that marriage is "the unique, exclusive, and lifelong union of one man and one woman."

One important background for the drafting of this document was the long-standing requests from local bishops, particularly in Africa, for clear guidance from the Vatican, as polygamy-deeply rooted in local culture-has led to increasing pastoral confusion. It is known that the Dicastery supplemented the document's content based on discussions with African bishops.

Recently, the Vatican officially criticized the spread of non-monogamous relationships such as polygamy and polyamory through the new doctrinal document titled 'Una Caro (One Body).' Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

This document has drawn attention not only for reaffirming doctrine, but also for directly addressing open relationships and polyamory, which are spreading especially in Western societies. The document points out that "the misconception that the intensity of love can be found in several people at once is becoming widespread," emphasizing that the diversification of relationships undermines the essential meaning of union.

Since the release of the document, there have been a variety of responses in different countries. Supporters of traditional marriage have welcomed the announcement, while progressive believers and sociologists who advocate for recognizing the diversity of modern family structures have criticized the Vatican for idealizing only a single model. In some regions, such as parts of Africa, there have also been skeptical views about how effective the document will be in actual pastoral settings. The document clearly shows the standards the Vatican seeks to maintain amid rapidly diversifying modern relationship and family models, and it is expected to spark significant debate among the global Church and its followers in the future.