Pope Francis Okays Forgiveness Of Those Who Do Abortion

Pope Francis Okays Forgiveness Of Those Who Do Abortion

Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic church worldwide, has said that he is letting all priests in the church’s upcoming Year of Mercy absolve the “sin of abortion” if they seek forgiveness with a “contrite heart”.

Washington Post reports that in a letter sent out on Tuesday, September 1, Pope Francis explained his decision that he has met many women bearing “the scar of this agonizing” decision to abort. He said God’s forgiveness cannot be denied to those who repent, and thus is giving all priests the discretion to absolve the sin in the Holy Year of Mercy running December 8, 2015, until late November 2016.

The catholic church has always frowned at abortion, it has been seen over the years as a grave evil. However, it does recognize as morally legitimate certain acts which indirectly result in the death of the fetus, such as when the direct purpose is removal of a cancerous womb.

Pope John Paul II declared in 1995 that the Church’s teaching on abortion is unchanged and unchangeable. He further declared that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being.

However, over the years there have been diverse debates regarding the issue, most of the debates aimed at changing the hard stance against the act, but none of the appeals have caused a measurable change.

Those who crave a change in the Catholic church’s position on abortion argue that like all sins, abortion is forgivable; and forgiveness is as close as the nearest confessional.