Weeks before Pope Francis is scheduled to visit the United States, the head of the Roman Catholic Church announced priests throughout the world will be able to forgive the sin of abortion during the Holy Year of Mercy.
This offer, however, is nothing new in the Archdiocese of Miami.
"Here in the Archdiocese, the second Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy granted that faculty, that power, to all the priests in the Archdiocese. That tradition of giving the priest the power has continued through Archbishop Favalora and through our present Archbishop Thomas Wenski," said Mary Ross Agosta with the Archdiocese of Miami.
Why make this announcement if bishops have already given priests in Miami and other cities the power to absolve the sin? Experts said some bishops in other countries have not given their priests that faculty. Now, every priest around the world can offer absolution for abortion during the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
"We would never want anyone to stay away from the church, and this is a great time to redeliver that message," Agosta explained.
Pope Francis made his intentions known in a letter stating that any woman with a contrite heart can go to confession and be forgiven for an abortion by any priest. And those priests must do so by expressing words of genuine welcome to the women, while reflecting on the gravity of the sin.
"Please come forward, go to confession and you can begin your healing process," Agosta said.
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Vatican officials said the Church is not changing its stance on abortion. According to a spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Miami, the message continues to be one of respect life.
"As Pope Francis stated today, he realizes that some women who had to make this decision because perhaps they had no other decision to make at that particular time, and he's saying come home," she said.
In the early 90's, the Archdiocese of Miami started a post-abortion ministry. They said it helps women who have already confessed their sin get help for their sense of loss.
For more information on the Project Rachel Ministry, click here.
