20 couples married by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica, including 1 bride already a mom

Sara Pisano, left, and Danilo Spagnoli, just married by Pope Francis, smile during the wedding ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014. Pope Francis married 20 couples Sunday, including some who already live together and those with children, technically a sin in the eyes of the church. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

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Pope Francis delivers his blessing during a wedding ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014. Pope Francis married 20 couples Sunday, including some who already live together and those with children, technically a sin in the eyes of the church. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

Alessandra Pucci smiles to Francesco Allotta after being married by Pope Francis, during a wedding ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014. Pope Francis married 20 couples Sunday, including some who already live together and those with children, technically a sin in the eyes of the church. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) (The Associated Press)

VATICAN CITY – Forty "I do's" — or "Si" in Italian — have been pronounced in St. Peter's Basilica as Pope Francis married 20 couples, with one bride already a mother.

Francis in his homily Sunday likened families to the "bricks that build society."

Among the couples, all from the Rome area, was one in which the groom's first marriage was annulled by the church and the bride has a daughter she had while an unmarried woman in an earlier relationship.

The Vatican views sex outside marriage as a sin, but Francis stresses the church should be a forgiving one.

Francis said marriage was "real life, not some TV show." He told couples to expect conflicts but that Jesus' love would help them when love runs out. Church teaching opposes divorce.