Pope Francis gives all priests permission to forgive the ‘grave sin’ of abortion

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"Any Catholic priest can grant forgiveness to a woman who has had an abortion, Pope Francis announced Sunday.A year ago, Francis said that priests could forgive the sin of having an abortion during a special Year of Mercy. In his lengthy letter marking the end of that year Sunday, he said he would extend that option in perpetuity, beyond the special year. “I wish to restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life,” he wrote. “In the same way, however, I can and must state that there is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father.”

The Rev. James Bretzke, a Jesuit professor at Boston College, said Pope Francis likely planned the extraordinary jubilee year — which he declared outside the normal cycle that calls for a jubilee every 25 to 50 years — as a test run for a permanent change on abortion. Before the Year of Mercy, abortion was in a class of sins considered “crimes,” which required a higher authority than a priest to absolve. A woman might have to confess her sin to a bishop, for example, rather than her parish priest" - Source​

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Ecclesiastically, this is a major shift for Catholicism and will especially draw the ire of the ultra conservative Catholic clergy who have made abortion their number one issue. The pontiff, while still recognizing the gravity of abortion as a sin, wants to shift the church into spending its energy on corporeal acts of mercy (which it has neglected) as opposed to spending huge resources on changing or influencing secular law.
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I like how bold Pope Francis is. This is good for the church, though as it says, I'm sure many of the narrow-minded members will freak out.

 

The church is still creeping into the 20th century (I'm being kind, LOL) and, while priests in the US and Canada already had this authority, this is seen as a positive move by a more forgiving church for the entire world. Some sins result in instant excommunication, the worst of the worst, and yet there must be a way to make it easier for 'confession & forgiveness'. I have no doubt the more conservative elements within the church will be up in arms about this. FWIW I was born & raised Roman Catholic and while I'm non practicing, I do like Francis. I wish him well and much success...

 

According to the Christian religion, only Christ has the power to forgive sins. Just saying.
Maybe the pope would like to start his own religion ?

 

There is nothing in the Bible that states a sin can be forgiven if a person confesses the sin and does some sort of "work" in atonement. No person can forgive others sins, no work or good deed cancels out a sin as if there is a scale in which sins go on one side and good deeds go on the other.

Go another step, if a Priest can forgive sins then why not just forgive all the sins of the world and "save" every person? Why would Jesus or faith in Jesus even be necessary?

Catholicism places a bureaucracy between God and man, that's its fatal flaw.

 

Wow I had no idea you could give super powers to people. All this means is they are losing members and need to cave in order to remain viable.
Sorry but if you kill an innocent person, the priest can activate his wonder twin powers all he wants but in the end, you still killed your kid.

 

About this?

“I wish to restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life,” he wrote. “In the same way, however, I can and must state that there is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father.”

What happens when a "grave sin" is not "forgiveable"? The Catholic church decides that the perpetrator is damned and excommunicated, end of discussion? It sounds like they're creeping closer to the Protestant way of thinking, which is generally that all sin is forgiveable and one can always come to Christ and find forgiveness.

How progressive

 

I'm starting to warm a bit to this Pontif. As a Protestant, I approve this message.

 

This is a matter of "forgiveable sin" in particular, though. I think a woman would still have to repent in some fashion afterwards. Sounds like nothing out of the ordinary to me as a former ELS Lutheran.

 

I stopped going to confession nearly 40 something years ago. I see no reason why I need to tell another human being who is no better than I am. Many priests who are homosexuals and borked little boys are a gazillion times worse than me so who are they to absolve me from what they believe is a sin just because they wear frilly lace frocks on Sundays.

 

Firegiving does not mean condoning. Many of the members of that AME Church in Charleston SC forgave the killer if their lived ones but that does not mean that they condone the murders he committed.

 

Lol, I was removed from Catholic Confirmation class over 30 years ago, for asking too many questions.

 

H about God isn't he the CEO of all so I woukd think that the cosmic board of directors have given him the power to firegivecany damn sin ge wants to!

 

Now if we can only get a real softening on contraception the church might do a lot of good. Too many are condemned to poverty through unsstainably large families

I also wonder how much of this is being driven by the tragedy of zika in Brazil

 

Ultimately it is for GOD to decide when end of days comes,
Pope Francis in lineage with Jesus Christ continue the same deeds of sowing salvation of the soul as per his mandate.
He could not judge neither are the Clergies but they could provide guidance towards salvation.

 

I was thrown out of Chatholic school for asking questions what and then having the audacity to be critical if their answers. The priest who was the principle thought he was a god. The Chief nun told me that I should end up in hail. That nun had a bad habit of thinking she was a goddess.

Edit last two sentences

 

My Catholic experience taught me all priests think they're God. Nevermind His Son... And the priest will read the bible for you, & give you all the news that's for you to know....

 

I have the power to forgive any sin. If you like my post, I will grant you absolution and throw in a pre-paid sin card so you are covered for the next one. (Make it good!)

 

I don't know what the big issue is. The Pope is simply giving the priests the right to absolve the sin of abortion the same way as they absolve all other sins. It seems only bishops had that right in the RCC.

I personally don't know what the canons are in the Catholic Church, but in the Orthodox Church it has always been that if a woman has an abortion she cannot receive the Eucharist for two years as penance. The same would stand for killing someone ...even as a soldier and under orders.

 

bottom line they are leaking members and this is there way of putting their finger in the dam.

 

I'm not too sure about that. This Pope, came with a promise of being a kinder, gentler Popi...

 

According to the canons of the original Christian Church, priests have the right to absolve one of sins.

 

Sure, just make it up as you go. What the heck.

 

I don't think Jesus ever spoke of canons.

 

"Priests Keep Man Apart From God.", Tolstoy​

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0154003/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl
Worth the watch. Under appreciated in its' and our time for historical accuracy among latitude.

Moi

r > g

Across an immense, unguarded, ethereal border, Canadians, cool and unsympathetic,
regard our America with envious eyes and slowly and surely draw their plans against us.
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