Pope extends power to forgive abortion to all Roman Catholic priests

[rug]

Mon Nov 21, 2016
10:53 am EST
By Philip Pullella | VATICAN CITY

Pope Francis on Monday extended indefinitely to all Roman Catholic priests the power to forgive abortion, a right previously reserved for bishops or special confessors in most parts of the world.

Francis, who has made a more inclusive and forgiving Roman Catholic Church a characteristic of his papacy, made the announcement in a document known as an "apostolic letter" after Sunday's close of the Church's "Holy Year of Mercy".

He said he wanted to "restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life" but "there is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with (God)".

Francis had already temporarily granted the power to all priests to give what is known as "sacramental absolution" for abortion during the Holy Year, from Dec. 8 to Nov. 20, but the solemn tone of his words in Monday's letter suggested that the change would last for at least the rest of his papacy

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-abortion-idUSKBN13G12B

[meow2u3]

1. His Holiness indeed has that power because Christ Himself gave it to him

Remember what was written in Scriptures, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, whose sins you retain are retained."? Christ Himself gave that power to St. Peter and his now successor, Pope Francis.

Guess what, conservatives. If you don't like it, take it up with Christ!

[rug]

2. It also doesn't single out abortion as something only a bishop can forgive.

[meow2u3]

3. That was the old rule

The reasoning, IMO, being that if the sins of those who killed those already born can be forgiven by a priest, why can't the sins of those who got or were involved in an abortion?

Thank God Pope Francis eliminated this sexist double standard. He's acting far more Christlike than the conservative bishops who seem to have the intent of permanently condemning women for equivilent acts men would be forgiven for.

[yallerdawg]

4. "We know you're going to sin. Just regret it."

[47of74]

5. Yeah I saw a story about how conservatives on Fox News were going nuts over that.