The “de facto schism” has existed in the Church for a long time. The difference now is that Francis is showing how broad the Church is, accepting many who were forced into hiding in the past.
Anyone who followed the Synods knows how the footnote got into the document. A small group, with much noise, pushed the position taken by the previous 2 popes. The rest of the bishops were not convinced, a majority of them supporting Francis’ stance at the end of the first synod. If that small contingent could not convince the other bishops of the ‘truth’ there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
The lay faithful and most clerics know the problem too well. They know people who have had marital problems that were met with indifference, or made worse, when they turned to the Church for help. It is not clear that things will be any different when we emphasize mercy, but it is hard to imagine tham getting worse.