POPE GRANTS PRIESTS POWER TO FORGIVE PEOPLE WHO COMMIT ABORTION

Vatican – Pope Francis has granted indefinitely the faculties of priests of St Piux X the power to hear confession and grant absolution for the sin of abortion.

Pope Francis extended the initiative in his new Apostolic Letter to the church to conclude the extraordinary jubilee year.




“The Holy Father also extended a number of initiatives already begun in the Holy Year, asking the Missionaries of Mercy to continue their ministry, and extending indefinitely the faculties of priests of the Society of St Pius X to hear confessions and grant absolution.

“Pope Francis also extended the faculties of all priests to absolve the sin of procured abortion. “I want to insist as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin,” the Pope said, “because it puts an end to an innocent life.” But, he continued, “I can and I 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 Pope said.

“Though the Jubilee is closed, Pope Francis said, “the door of mercy of our heart continues to remain wide open, ” Pope Francis said and called on the faithful to continue to practice new works of mercy, and to find new ways to give expression to the traditional works such as the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

“Continue in our own day to be proof of mercy’s immense positive influence as a social value. This is the time of mercy. It is the time of mercy because no sinner can ever tire of asking forgiveness, and all can feel the welcoming embrace of the Father”, he said.