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Lv 7

Catholics: I thought this was interesting news. Comments?

The full article:

The quote from that article that I found interesting (even though I am not myself Catholic).

Pope Francis is making it easier for women and doctors to seek forgiveness for abortion, by allowing all priests to forgive it.

...

In most countries, only a bishop can approve forgiveness for abortion. They would then delegate an expert priest to hear the confession.

The change is only for the coming Jubilee Year, beginning in December.

However, the rule relaxation will not affect Catholics in England, Wales and Scotland as all priests there can already forgive abortion without seeking permission from a bishop.

Update:

Sorry, I didn't copy the link to the article correctly above. Here it is:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34118105

12 Answers

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  • I did some reading up on this today and I found that abortion in the Catholic Church (according to Canon Law), is an automatic excommunication (which is a heavier penalty than other sins). Once you are excommunicated you cannot receive the sacraments (confession, Eucharist, etc) you have to go to the Bishop to get back into the church in some countries, not just a priest. That's why the Pope has lifted this temporarily this year for people so they can get forgiveness and back into the church without having to go through the higher church authorities, they can go to a priest. He can do it with his authority as Pope. He is lifting the excommunication for one year so they can get back into good standing with a valid confession. How many will actually do it? Who knows.

    Can. 1398 A person who procures a completed abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.

    http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Blog/4129/abort...

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Anti pope Francis is not our true pope, you are with Vatican 2, you are not with the true faith, convert to our true holy mother church, the true Catholics are small in number but we are still here, one of our last followers of God on earth Brother Michael Diamond teaches us about how corrupted the new world order is, visit www.VaticanCatholic.com Brother Diamond is also there for you to contact for any questions you may have.

  • 5 years ago

    I have no problem with that. I can see problems for this lasting a year only. Maybe this is the pope's way of sliding the ruling into permanency. Sure, he can foresee the difficulty in rescindment.

  • 6 years ago

    Yes, the Church does whatever it can to help its members reject sin and repent of past sins. This is just one helpful change in the Church's overall mission of forgiveness and reconciliation.

    Catholic deacon

  • Adnama
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    So women who aborted a fetus were excommunicated, but murderers and rapists were not. Now the pope is "allowing" women to ask forgiveness for their "sin." Sounds like a bunch of patriarchal hogwash to me.

  • nobudE
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    Stupid. You can get forgiven for murdering a live current person, what's the difference if you really think an embryo is the same.

  • Anonymous
    6 years ago

    it is common knowledge that excommunication is placed on those who have an abortion and those who partake in abortion through work. it is known as "Latae Sentinae " in Latin. it mean that the excommunication does not have to be made public, but to be absolved the bishop has to okay it , except those priests who have permission to forgive them in confession

  • Gert
    Lv 7
    6 years ago

    It doesn't matter to me what the pope says about this. It matters what God says about this. And I AM a catholic.

  • 6 years ago

    The pope is helping the people to ask forgiveness, that Jesus is there for you all the time. Just repent.

  • 6 years ago

    i need to talk to you can you email or better skype?

    my skype is big.brother09

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