That's another one of those many words that have been redefined out of English and into liberalese.
I find that author's ignorance amazing too. It's almost as absurd as the N.H. Supreme Court ruling that gay sex doesn't count as adultery.
When a woman marries, she does not "abandon" her parents - she goes with their blessings. When Michael shacked up with a woman or two or three, producing two or three children out of wedlock, he abandoned his marriage to Terri, and betrayed his wedding vows.
The author is a sick, warped, death cult crackpot. That she was in charge of elder affairs is REALLY scary.