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

[nhboy]

" 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.”

Before the Year of Mercy that Francis declared, 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. "

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/11/21/pope-francis-gives-all-priests-permission-to-forgive-the-sin-of-abortion/?tid=sm_tw

 

[Bird Dog]

“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.”

Both a very true.........

 

[PsyOps]

I'm not asking this question to be a smart###, I am honestly looking for an answer from a Catholic point of view.

If a woman has an abortion, she can go to her priest and ask for God's forgiveness. Can she now go and have another abortion, and another, and another and still ask for that same forgiveness?

 

[Larry Gude]

I'm not asking this question to be a smart###, I am honestly looking for an answer from a Catholic point of view.

If a woman has an abortion, she can go to her priest and ask for God's forgiveness. Can she now go and have another abortion, and another, and another and still ask for that same forgiveness?

A better question would be if all those condemned previously can get out of hell or not.

 

[Toxick]

I'm not asking this question to be a smart###, I am honestly looking for an answer from a Catholic point of view.

If a woman has an abortion, she can go to her priest and ask for God's forgiveness. Can she now go and have another abortion, and another, and another and still ask for that same forgiveness?

Confession and forgiveness is not a bottomless "do whatever the #### you want" loophole.

In order for Reconciliation to work, you should:
1) Be repentant (and not some weak-ass "Gee, whiz! My bad! That one's on me dawg" repentance)
2) Be willing to offer penance to atone for what you've done
3) Promise to try to avoid the behavior. As anyone truly repentant would.

 

[b23hqb]

I'm not asking this question to be a smart###, I am honestly looking for an answer from a Catholic point of view.

If a woman has an abortion, she can go to her priest and ask for God's forgiveness. Can she now go and have another abortion, and another, and another and still ask for that same forgiveness?

Fair question. I would say no, simply because if a person continues on in a particular sin, then their heart has not repented. God knows that. The old popester or any priest can no more forgive a persons personal sin against God than you or I can. We can forgive each other for sins or transgressions committed against oneself. I agree with the pope that God can forgive any sin, but that repentant heart must go to God, not man.

Been a while since any real papal edict has come down the pike.

 

[PsyOps]

Fair question. I would say no, simply because if a person continues on in a particular sin, then their heart has not repented. God knows that. The old popester or any priest can no more forgive a persons personal sin against God than you or I can. We can forgive each other for sins or transgressions committed against oneself. I agree with the pope that God can forgive any sin, but that repentant heart must go to God, not man.

Been a while since any real papal edict has come down the pike.

Okay, but you're speaking from a non-Catholic point of view. I wanted a Catholic to clear this up.

 

[Bird Dog]

I'm not asking this question to be a smart###, I am honestly looking for an answer from a Catholic point of view.

If a woman has an abortion, she can go to her priest and ask for God's forgiveness. Can she now go and have another abortion, and another, and another and still ask for that same forgiveness?

"wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father"
Key word "repentant"

 

[PsyOps]

Confession and forgiveness is not a bottomless "do whatever the #### you want" loophole.

In order for Reconciliation to work, you should:
1) Be repentant (and not some weak-ass "Gee, whiz! My bad! That one's on me dawg" repentance)
2) Be willing to offer penance to atone for what you've done
3) Promise to try to avoid the behavior. As anyone truly repentant would.

Not being a Catholic, I really don't know what #2 means. On #3, if a woman came in for confession a second time and said "But I really tried hard not to get pregnant, but did. Forgive me Father for I have sinned again". Are they forgiven?

 

[PsyOps]

"wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father"
Key word "repentant"

When it finds a repentant heart...? What is "it"?

 

[Bird Dog]

When it finds a repentant heart...? What is "it"?

The mercy of God

 

[Larry Gude]

Been a while since any real papal edict has come down the pike.

Not so. In 2007 the pope said un-baptized kids no longer have to rot eternally in limbo anymore. Presumably, this includes the aborted so, it would seem, absolve the kids first and then the moms?

Question still stands. Is this a get out of hell free card?

 

[Bird Dog]

A better question would be if all those condemned previously can get out of hell or not.

How do you get condemned to hell permanently, when God has given us forgiveness through his Son?

Pretty simple. We are all sinners, just some more than others. Especially this poster

 

[b23hqb]

Not so. In 2007 the pope said un-baptized kids no longer have to rot eternally in limbo anymore. Presumably, this includes the aborted so, it would seem, absolve the kids first and then the moms?

Question still stands. Is this a get out of hell free card?

Not arguing with you, just talking about current popester edicts. Been real quiet lately. But I like your question. I think I know what Catholics will say, but I will say "hell, no" to that one.

 

[This_person]

Not so. In 2007 the pope said un-baptized kids no longer have to rot eternally in limbo anymore. Presumably, this includes the aborted so, it would seem, absolve the kids first and then the moms?

Question still stands. Is this a get out of hell free card?

Disclaimer - I am not Catholic.

The Pope cannot make the determination of whether or not one goes to hell, or heaven, or limbo, or purgatory, or anywhere else. These are educated, devout, faithful, failed human beings doing the best they can. Just like the rest of us.

 

[Bird Dog]

Not arguing with you, just talking about current popester edicts. Been real quiet lately. But I like your question. I think I know what Catholics will say, but I will say "hell, no" to that one.

 

[Larry Gude]

How do you get condemned to hell permanently, when God has given us forgiveness through his Son?

Pretty simple. We are all sinners, just some more than others. Especially this poster

What good is hell if it's just temporary?

 

[Larry Gude]

Disclaimer - I am not Catholic.

The Pope cannot make the determination of whether or not one goes to hell, or heaven, or limbo, or purgatory, or anywhere else. These are educated, devout, faithful, failed human beings doing the best they can. Just like the rest of us.

I'm not Catholic either. That said, as I understand it, he does get to make quit a few calls including the '07 edit ending Limbo for the unbaptized. So, my question is sincere. Is this retroactive? And what of all the parents who suffered their entire lives having lost a child before they could be baptized? If one takes religion seriously, at all, these questions probably ought to be asked...and, hopefully, answered.

 

[This_person]

How do you get condemned to hell permanently, when God has given us forgiveness through his Son?

Pretty simple. We are all sinners, just some more than others. Especially this poster

As I recall, and I'm just using the Bible as reference here, but most people will go to hell permanently. It takes faith, devotion, repentance of sin, and acceptance of Jesus as your savior to not be one of the "most" that will.

 

[Bird Dog]

What good is hell if it's just temporary?

It's not temporary. It permanent when you go. While your here on earth you can be forgiven.
It goes back to the "repentant" heart.